John Akomfrah, CBE

Akomfrah (b. 1957) creates multichannel video installations that critically examine the legacy of colonialism, the Black diaspora, and environmental degradation. His works are characterized by their investigations into memory, postcolonialism, temporality and aesthetics and often explore the experiences of migrant diasporas globally. Recent solo exhibitions include: the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C., USA (2022); Remai Modern, Saskatoon, Canada (2022); Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Barcelona, Spain (2021); Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, Sevilla, Spain (2020); Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA, USA (2020). Recent international group shows include: ‘Sharjah Biennial 15: Thinking Historically in the Present’, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (2023); ‘Global Ghana’, The Africa Institute, Sharjah, UAE and Accra, Ghana (2022); ‘Fault Lines’, North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, USA (2022); Ghana Pavilion, 58th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy (2019). He has received numerous awards, including the Artes Mundi Prize, the European Cultural Foundation’s Princess Margaret Award, and was awarded a Knighthood for services to the Arts in the 2023 New Year Honours.