'meditations: on the visual works and films of Alberta Whittle, creopolitanism, dreaming with water'

 

Part of the publication for Alberta Whittle's major exhibition deep dive (pause) recoiling memory for the Scotland Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale, is a new long poem 'meditations', on Alberta's work, racial capitalism, creopolitanism + queer feminist diaspora and dreaming with water. 

Alberta's work is profoundly moving while holding space for slowing down and beginning to feel through it - especially through film 'Lagareh - the last born', which reflects on colonialism, grief, black love, family, migration, anti-black racism and policing. 

The poem 'meditations' is full of breathing space and takes a deep dive towards both embodied unities and aphotic zones (the depth of the ocean that light doesn't reach). Amid immense anthroposonics, it reaches out to joy. The resonances between the text, the tapestry 'Entanglement is more than blood' (pictured) and sculptures will unfold for a while yet. The publication includes essays by Eddie Chambers, Cheryl Finley, and Alberta's poem from Lagareh. 

Click here to read the publication and for more about the exhibition.

A huge congratulations and thank you to Alberta and the Scotland+Venice for their amazing work, and for the opportunity to write this text.

Image: Entanglement is more than blood - deep dive (pause) uncoiling memory, 2022, Installation Shot. Photographer Cristiano Corte, © Alberta Whittle. Courtesy the artist, Scotland+Venice & Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh.