John Akomfrah
Mimesis: African Soldier
Gallery 1
25 October 2024 – January 2026

“Whatever the life is that you have got as a person of colour, we have arrived at that life in large part because of sacrifices made by people from elsewhere who are very rarely acknowledged and it is important that they are.” John Akomfrah, 2018

Mimesis: African Soldier reflects on the experience of soldiers from across the colonised lands across the globe in World War I. It seeks to highlight the significant contribution of over six million African, Caribbean and South Asian people from across former colonies of the British Empire who fought, served, and died in the war. It was presented to Bristol Museum and Art Gallery and Glasgow Life Museums by Art Fund and 14 – 18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary. It was originally co-commissioned by 14 – 18 NOW, with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and the Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport, New Art Exchange, Nottingham, and Smoking Dogs Films, with additional production support from Sharjah Art Foundation.

“They came as professional soldiers, conscripts, labourers, factory workers, field workers, trench and railway builders, lumberjacks, mechanics, clerks, nurses, administrators and a myriad of other ancillary jobs needed to keep the war going.” Smoking Dogs Films, 2018

Acquired for Glasgow Life Museums’ collection in 2019, this is the first time that Mimesis: African Soldier has been shown in Scotland. It is presented across three screens, displaying a montage of archival footage and reimagined contemporary views of historical military experiences. These are projected alongside still-life scenes with flowing water running over human remains and objects, flags and photographs related to the soldiers. The three screens allow us to see different perspectives and narratives at the same time. Akomfrah uses a poetic approach to archives drawing attention to overlooked histories, Britain’s role in conflict across its colonies and their impact on people of colour today.

There is no spoken narrative in the work, instead there are poignant quotations and an emotive soundscape including song. Words appear on the screens to function as pauses or titles interspersing the powerful images and archives that we are witness to. These words encapsulate what we are seeing unfold before us echoing the soldiers’ journeys and conscription into a war that is not of their making.

Sir John Akomfrah CBE RA lives and works in London as an artist and filmmaker. He was a founding member of the influential Black Audio Film Collective, which started in London in 1982 alongside artists David Lawson and Lina Gopaul, who he still collaborates with today alongside Ashitey Akomfrah as Smoking Dogs Films. He represented Great Britain at the Venice Biennale 2024.

Akomfrah explores personal and collective histories, cultural identity, and the experiences of Black British and global migrant diasporas through his work. He combines archival footage with his contemporary film and soundscapes to shed light on lives and experiences often hidden by a more dominant colonial narrative. His non-linear approach raises questions about how the past affects present tensions, racism and inequality in society.

If you are affected by any of the themes within the work, would like to know more about it or would like to leave a comment or reflection please see the links on our Linktree page

Further reading
Glasgow Life Museums ‘Legacies of Slavery and Empire’ blog

Press
Scottish Field, 2 September 2024
The National, 23 October 2024
The Herald, 6 November 2024
The List, 5 December 2024
Loophole, 28 December 2025
The Scotsman, 1 January 2024