Ghost in the archives: Multidisciplinary artists, Larry Achiampong and David Blandy divulge how they tackle the ghosts of colonial legacies by using museum archives to create their video works. They are renowned for their compelling video works on race, biology and identity. Their films expose how the pseudo-scientific pursuit of eugenics was used to justify Western colonialism. Recently showcased at the Wellcome Collection, their acclaimed Genetic Automata series featured _GOD_MODE_ (2023), Dust to Data (2021), A Lament for Power (2000), and A Terrible Fiction (2019).

These haunting video works blend historical facts with digitised simulations that serve as powerful social commentaries. Hear poetic excerpts from Dust to Data that reveal how imperialists manipulate fragments of evidence to fabricate origin stories about our past and present.

#Africa #Ancestry #Ancient #Egypt #Archaeology #Archives #Artists #Community #Elitism #Eugenics#Racism #Videogames #Identity #History #Postcolonialism #Power #Film

Hosted by @YasminCurates in conversation with @LarryAchiampong and @DavidBlandy.

Do you believe everything you see in museums? Share your thoughts and museum photos via #MuseumTruthLies.

CREDITS:

Host and scriptwriter, Yasmin Khan; Executive Producer, Marie Horner; Composer, Helen A. Wilson; Sound Design, Lucy Dearlove (supported by Lucia Scazzoccio).

Additional soundscapes from the Genetic Automata film series, courtesy of the artists Larry Achiampong and David Blandy.

SPONSORS: Art South Asia Project and ZVM Rangoonwala Foundation

Recommended resources

• MOTL Muse-Zine https://muse-zine.xyz

• Khan, Yasmin, Genetic Automata, Artist interview with Larry Achiampong & David Blandy, Museums Journal, Sept 2023

https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/people/2023/09/working-life-our-experiences-are-massively-different-but-that-combination-is-our-strength/