Mimesis: African Soldier, John Akomfrah at GoMA

4/5 stars

It is hard to write about exhibitions that convey such an obvious statement that all other readings of the work are eclipsed, and the work is left stale. I am used to seeing exhibitions like this, and I think ‘Mimesis: African Soldier’ walks the line of this problem. Ultimately, however, the film succeeds in staying ambiguous and different, offering a refreshing lack of answers for a more ‘cinematic’ piece of work. 

I found the symbolism very poignant and moving, and exceptionally beautiful themes were presented throughout. The recurring motif of the water washing over and distorting the faces had very interesting links to the effect of choosing a cast of actors. That said, some aspects such as the slow piano and strings, or some of the more ‘acted’ elements like crying, felt a little too cliché, almost thrown in for convention and to state what the viewer should feel. All in all, I feel Akomfrah’s ‘Mimesis: African Soldier’ does a wonderful job of exploring the importance of story and memory, and it is in the uncertain aspects of the film - complimented by the typically quite certain cinematic language, that it flourishes. 

The curation is a huge let down. The text and entryway strongly suggest watching the film in order, and the timings aren’t on GoMA’s website, a huge oversight on a 70+ minute film which means you might be waiting a long time for the film to restart when you visit. The use of 3 channels, while incredibly impactful at times, changes the work strongly based on where the viewer is in the room, and can feel nauseating for some.

I strongly recommend seeing the exhibition despite this, and it is certainly one of the best things from GoMA in a while.