In the first four months of 2015, around 1600 refugees died making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean sea from Libya to the Italian island of Lampedusa. The continuing human tragedy moved Chudamani Clowes to consider migration, immigration and displacement in her latest series of works completed during a six month residency at London’s Griffin Gallery.
Titled White City, partly after the district neighbouring the gallery and partly in reference to the subject matter, the collection encompasses paintings, wearable sculpture, installation, video and performance pieces — including costumed parades and steel bands.
Two series of works, Jellyheads and Tentacle Paintings, represent boat refugees in an imaginary narrative that depict the people as sea creatures. In addition to modern day migration, Clowes looks at historical immigration, the formation of diaspora in major cities such as London, and the ongoing issues surrounding those communities today. Paintings showing the black players of Queens Park Rangers football club, created on banana paper using aromatic banana oil, comment on the racism that remains within the game. White City runs from 28 August to 2 October.
