'Ghanian born John Akomfrah is a seminal figure in Black British Cinema and forerunner in digital cinematography. He has a body of work that is considered one of the most distinctive and innovative in contemporary Britain.

For 30 years the artist, director, writer and theorist has been highlighting the legacy of African diaspora in Europe by creating films that explore marginalised histories of European society.

Akomfrah was a founding member of the Black Audio Film Collective and he is well-known for films including The Nine Muses (2010), Speak Like a Child (1998) and The Stuart Hall Project (2013). In 2008 Akonfrah was awarded an OBE for his services to the British film industry.'

John Akomfrah talks about his practice as a filmmaker, how he navigates between the gallery and cinema, what compelled him to make his 2015 work Vertigo Sea, and the influence of Andrei Tarkovsky. In this TateShots, John also talks about his commitment to the "philosophy of montage", his interest in archive and documentary and the importance of history.

Between 21 October - 26 February 2017, Artes Mundi hosted its 7th major international exhibition and the UK's largest contemporary art prize. The £40000 priz...

http://www.artesmundi.org/en/artists/john-akomfrah

http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/john-akomfrah-vertigo-sea-1

The use of montage in John Akomfrah's Handsworth Song (1981). News clip and photos of the Birmingham riot on top of the song 'Jerusalem', insinuate a strong ...

The use of montage in John Akomfrah's Handsworth Song (1981). News clip and photos of the Birmingham riot on top of the song 'Jerusalem', insinuate a strong political statement: the utopia of Britain as the land of 'pasture and green' collapsed under the reality of untidy and discomforting race-based riot..