Barbican to unveil monumental public commission by Ibrahim Mahama
Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama's ‘Purple Hibiscus’ to transform Barbican's Lakeside Terrace.
The Barbican is set to unveil its latest monumental public commission by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama, marking his first large-scale presentation in the UK. Opening in April 2024, the transformative artwork will adorn the Barbican's Lakeside Terrace, enveloping the iconic brutalist structure with approximately 2000 square metres of intricately woven cloth. Named Purple Hibiscus after Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel, the ambitious commission is a collaborative effort with craftspeople from Tamale, Ghana, incorporating approximately 100 'batakaris' – traditional robes imbued with the lineage and power of Northern Ghanaian communities.
Mahama's engagement with local economies and communities is at the forefront of his practice, reflected in the vibrant hues and intricate details of Purple Hibiscus. By weaving together historical memories embedded in textiles, Mahama seeks to amplify the voices and experiences of marginalised communities. The monumental commission gains additional resonance within the Barbican's historical context, standing on the former site of Cripplegate parish and reflecting on the area's significance as a hub for cloth trade.
Grounded in the belief that art should be accessible to all, Mahama's practice extends beyond the confines of the art market, with initiatives like the Red Clay Studio and Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art in Tamale, Ghana, providing vital social infrastructure for arts education and exhibition-making. Through Purple Hibiscus, Mahama invites audiences to engage in dialogue about collective labour, cultural heritage, and the transformative power of art within public spaces.
Purple Hibiscus is part of the Barbican Art Gallery's current exhibition, Unravel: The Power & Politics of Textiles in Art , a major group exhibition, showcasing artists use of textiles to communicate ideas about power, resistance and survival.
Click here for a visual preview.
Date: 10 April – 18 August 2024. Location: Barbican Lakeside Terrace. Price: Free Website: barbican.org.uk.
Original music and writing from social enterprise theatre company Big House hits all the right notes in its powerful examination of censorship and the role art plays in helping marginalised communities find their voice.
Adjacent to this year’s Chelsea Flower Show is Chelsea Barracks, simultaneously hosting a spring fair for visitors to the area with the opportunity to see the development of this 12.8-acre site previously out of public reach for 150 years…
London based visual artists, Sian Bliss creates dreamscapes across both digital and traditional mediums with boundless excitement, capturing the essence of her imaginative vision.
London Craft Week 2024 returns this week for its 10th edition, highlighting British and international creativity by showcasing over 750 established and emerging makers, designers, brands, and galleries.
The 10th edition of Sketch in Bloom commemorates the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery with a theme titled ‘National Treasures.’…
Experience London's FREE Festival in Greenwich Peninsula, featuring International DJs, interactive w, global cuisine and alternative summer fun.
Vibrant expressionism: Kandinsky, Münter, and the Blue Rider exhibition takes Tate Modern by storm..
Kati Heck: TIP-TOE-ECHO · Shaqúelle Whyte: Yute, you’re gonna be fine · Amel Bashier: رد الجوري ‘Ward el Juri · Alina Frieske: Nightly Newsfeed · Marc Quinn: Light into Life · Adam Rouhana: Before Freedom · Saroj Patel: Ocean Mother · Fabian Ramírez: Firing of the Idols · Jeremy Hutchison - Dead White Man: Effigies…
The award-winning neo-jazz artist Ni Maxine from Liverpool performed in London this month with a live show, ‘Ode To Billie Holiday’, at Pizza Express Holborn on Friday 26 April 2024, all part of series of live shows through the UK…
Explore the soul of Mexico through the lens of renowned photographer Graciela Iturbide at The Photographers’ Gallery this summer…
EKLEIDO, a choreographic duo formed by Hannah Ekholm and Faye Stoeser, choreograph performances for live shows and film.
Hayward Gallery unveils exciting series of free exhibitions with RC Foundation, Taiwan (R.O.C.), debuting multidisciplinary artist Naomi Rincón Gallardo's work in June…
Among our passions for art and exploring bakeries, we also cherish London's green spaces. From vast areas like the Walthamstow Wetlands to hidden gems like Phoenix Gardens and Mount Street Gardens. Here are our top choices of 13 green spaces to fully embrace London's summer in 2024…
Robert Rauschenberg ROCI · Andrew Omoding: Animals to Remember Uganda · Jane Emburey: all things are full of gods · Younès Ben Slimane: Images de Tunisie · Lindokuhle Sobekwa: Heart of the garden · Matthew Krishanu: The Bough Breaks · Accordion Fields · SKATEBOARD · Darren Almond: Life Line · Richard Kimathi: Heaven is Dry.
Dive into the fusion of Pink Floyd's music and cutting-edge neuroscience as Frameless London presents an immersive exploration of the mind's response to music…
Clerkenwell Design Week 2024 • London Craft Week 2024 • Battersea Power Station x Claire Luxton • Twelfth Night (or What You Will) • Chelsea Barracks x House & Garden Spring Fair • IWA Canalway Cavalcade • Gerhard Richter: STRIP-TOWER • Lift 109 Lates: Skyline Sketching • RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 • Chelsea in Bloom 2024 • REVERB by The Vinyl Factory • War Child x Art on a Postcard…
Ernest Cole: House of Bondage · Beryl Cook / Tom of Finland · Judy Chicago: Revelations · Gavin Jantjes: To Be Free! A Retrospective · Lonnie Holley · The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2024 · Anthony McCall: Solid Light · Barbie Exhibition · NAOMI · Zanele Muholi · Modernism in Ukraine, 1900-1930s · Tavares Strachan: There Is Light Somewhere · Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider…
Renowned artist Gerhard Richter's monumental sculpture, STRIP-TOWER (2023) unveiled at Serpentine South…
Southbank Centre's summer programme celebrates diversity and inclusivity with 'You Belong Here' campaign.
Gagosian's second Gagosian Open presentation, showcasing Nan Goldin's 'Sisters, Saints, Sibyls,' will open in May in the historic setting of a former Welsh Chapel situated in Soho.
Women’s stories and solidarity. Feminism and Activism. Photography.