'Listening All Night To the Rain' by John Akomfrah was commissioned by the British Council for the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, 2024.
The title is drawn from the poetry of Chinese writer Su Dongpo (1037 – 1101) written during a period of political exile. The work explores diasporic experiences in Britain, reflecting on pivotal moments in colonial and post-colonial history relating to memory, migration, racial injustice and climate change. It weaves together newly filmed material with archival imagery, audio clips and video footage from across the world.Akomfrah’s signature cinematic style creates critical and poetic connections across different places and times to encourage acts of listening and looking again, as forms of activism. His work explores how sound can shape and influence cultural realities. By layering fragments of audio materials such as political speeches, popular music and nature, he investigates how sound operates as a shared cultural experience, globally uniting us in relation to one another.Water is also a central motif. Like sound, it moves in waves, echoing the dispersal of diaspora communities. It forms the connective tissue that holds the visual and sonic narratives together, exploring how the experience can shape our understanding of the world.Akomfrah (born 1957) lives and works in London. He was a founding member of the pioneering Black Audio Film Collective (1982-1998). He is best known for works such as Handsworth Songs (1986), Seven Songs for Malcolm X (1993) and The Nine Muses (2010). His influence on experimental film and the study of colonial history and racialised identity is unparalleled.
'Listening All Night To the Rain' by John Akomfrah was commissioned by the British Council for the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, 2024. It was co-commissioned by Lisson Gallery, Thyssen Bornemisza Art Contemporary and Smoking Dogs Films. The Commission and UK Tour of 'Listening All Night To The Rain' is supported by Art Fund