Quote: "I accuse the oil companies of practising genocide against the Ogoni" Ken Saro-Wiwa.

On November 10th 1995, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight Ogoni colleagues were executed by the Nigerian state for campaigning against the devastation of the Niger Delta by oil companies, especially Shell and Chevron.

Currently, at the New Art Exchange in Hyson Green, Nottingham, there is an exhibition of the acclaimed Nigerian-born artist Sokari Douglas Camp. Sokari’s primary material is steel and her work often explores her relationship to contemporary Nigeria and Britain. Race, racism, gender issues, exploitation and violence all surface in her practice.

For this exhibition though, the New Art Exchange showcases new work based on Nigerian traditional dress, large scale sculptures from collections including the British Museum and her celebrated installation The Living Memorial to Ken Saro-Wiwa. The exhibition opened on the 13th anniversary of the death of Saro-Wiwa. NAE will work with a number of organisations to mark this anniversary including Blackdrop in Nottingham and Platform from London.

 http://www.thenewartexchange.org.uk/exhibitions/exhib_sokari.php

Sokari Douglas-Camp Front Row interview [Podcast]
 http://www.thenewartexchange.org.uk/Sokari_Douglas-Camp-Front_Row_interview.mp3

Sokari Douglas Camp
 http://www.sokari.co.uk

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In addition to the exhibition, there is the: "Remember Saro-Wiwa African Film Event"

Saturday 29th November 12pm — 4pm

Admission: FREE, Seating is limited, arrive early to avoid disappointment

Venue: New Art Exchange, 39-41 Gregory Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 6BE

As part of the Sokari Douglas Camp CBE exhibition titled Strength of Feeling the New Art Exchange & Remember Saro-Wiwa present a day of contemporary African films and documentaries to be screened inside the Ken Saro-Wiwa Bus:

On November 10th 1995 Nigerian writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of his Ogoni colleagues were executed by the Nigerian military government for their campaign against the environmental and social devastation caused by oil companies, including Shell and Chevron,in the Niger Delta. Sculptor Sokari Douglas Camp was commissioned by Remember Saro-Wiwa.

PLATFORM to create a ‘Living Memorial’; a spectacular Nigerian steel bus, sprayed silver and gold, carved with the names of the Ogoni nine and a powerful quotation from Ken: “I ACCUSE THE OIL COMPANIES OF PRACTISING GENOCIDE AGAINST THE OGONI.”


The Living Memorial will become a venue in itself on Saturday 29th November, as NAE and Remember Saro-Wiwa present a day of contemporary African films and documentaries screened inside the Ken Saro-Wiwa bus.

12.00pm, Poison Fire, Dir Lars Johansson (25 mins), A new documentary about gas flaring & the impact on the environment of the Niger Delta. See www.poisonfire.org for more information.

12.35pm, Ken Saro-Wiwa’s Interview, (25 mins), Rare footage from Ken Saro-Wiwa’s last interview.

1.10pm, Refining Memory, Dir Andrew Conio & Judy Price (20 mins), Explores the issues of loss, memory, memorial and representation and how artistic practise might engage with circumstances that globalisation make part of the fabric of our everyday lives.

1.40pm, This is my Africa, Dir Zina Saro-Wiwa, UK 2008 (50 mins), A ‘crash-course in African culture’ seeking a fresh and more balanced representation of the continent through candid interviews with actors Chiwetel Ejiofor and Colin Firth, Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow, opera singer Josephine Amankwah, artist Yinka Shonibare MBE and many others.

2.40pm, Suffering and Smiling, Dir Dan Ollman, Nigeria/USA 2006 (65 mins), Charged by the heated politics of Nigeria, this documentary focuses on the life of singer and activist Fela Kuti and his son Femi Kuti.

3.55pm, Burning Capital, Dir James Leadbitter & James Marriott, UK 2008, (50 mins), A documentary on the environmental and global significance of BP, conceived and researched by the oil watchdog PLATFORM.


Seating is limited, arrive early to avoid disappointment


 http://www.remembersarowiwa.com
 http://www.remembersarowiwa.com/sokari.htm

New Art Exchange,
39-41 Gregory Boulevard
Nottingham
NG7 6BE

T: 0115 924 8630
M: 07968 977 820
E:  ashok.mistry@thenewartexchange.org.uk
W: www.thenewartexchange.org.uk
W: www.myspace.com/new_art_exchange

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ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email:  tash@indymedia.org
Member of the National Union of Journalists [No: 014345]
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"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
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