agbanWu

"The "agbaWnu" performance reminds us of both civic and military brutality and violence suffered by individuals and groups on daily basis of prejudices, identity politics, gender and sexual discriminations through mob justice / lynching and unfair rulings."

 

"agbaWnu" an Ewe word literally meaning "lying in state" borrows the visual images of last respect paid to the dead in traditional burial rites and the symbolic gesture of the crucifix. The performance, presented unpleasant body laid in state, trapped in number of spikes on a skeletal framed-cross while randomly struggling to resurrect, survive or redeem itself as attempt to lure the audience into questioning and contemplating on our own vulnerabilities, fears, mortality and survival. 

 

While lying in the spikes, Angelyn Christie Dede Akwete, a flute artist and musician plays dirges of different tunes sitting under the spikes. Her music complements and to connects many Ghanaian or other audience to their own memories to death. 

 

The performance and installation is inspired by the power relations that exist between judicial, [the government], the military, the [church], the public, the class privileged and marginalised individuals/groups in many part Africa. It is metaphor to injustice, discrimination, violence and brutality in our so-called post-colonial territories.

 

The performance lasted for about 4 hours allowing my audience to reflect, review and connecting their own sense of fear, death, mortality, vulnerabilities, violence, humiliation, and torture as a [daily pleasure] of extremist societies., and the violence and injustice that have enveloped many African countries trapped in colonial legacies, politics of identity, and religious propaganda against marginalised groups.