Re imaging

Donald Rodney

1 Introduction

Reimaging explores the work of Black British artist Donald Rodney (1961 – 1998). It is the first UK exhibition to examine Rodney’s digital practice, and through new commissions expands on the potential of Rodney’s archive as a resource for challenging our conceptions of cultural, physical and social identity.

Donald Rodney was considered to be He developed his artistic skills during one the most significant artists of his prolonged periods of hospitalisation, generation. Mark Sealy, Director of resulting in him regularly missing Autography ABP stated in an online school, due to his sickle cell condition. interview with TATE Britain for their After taking an arts foundation collection of Rodney’s work; course at Bournville School of Art in he went on to “[Along] with Donald, Keith Piper, Eddie Trent, where he met Keith Piper and Chambers and people like , Eddie Chambers. Chambers and Piper Lubaina Himid. Those characters in my espoused the notion of Black Art/Black view are really quite seminal in terms of Power, which derived largely from beginning to create an articulate voice… the USA through black writers and he was really interested in working with activists like Ron Karenga. Becoming Exhibition new media and new technologies. One a prominent member of the Blk Arts of the great tragedies is that he was Group, RRodney highlighted the Reimaging Donald Rodney aims to The new works developed for the becoming very articulate within this sociopolitical condition of Britain in Donald Rodney, from encapsulate the digital embodiment exhibition include doublethink (2015), space around the end of his career”. 3 Songs of Pain the 1980s-90s, referencing the global Light and Time and legacy of Donald Rodney, a bespoke online site designed and impact of a colonial past. engaging a new generation with developed during workshops as Born in Smethwick, West Midlands in (25 mins, UK, 1995, by Trevor Mathison an historically important visual arts part of a one year research process, 1961 to Jamaican parents, Rodney and Whether political or personal, and Edward George) practice. Rodney’s innovation in the with the participation of members his family lived on Marshall St, visited by Rodney illustrated his versatility, face of the disabling, life limiting health of Wolverhampton Sickle Cell Care Malcolm X in 1965 when racial tension utilising a range of mediums for condition sickle cell anaemia further and Activity Centre (WSCCSAC) and in the area was high, due to Tory artistic expression through painting, informs two new commissions to artists Antonio Roberts and Sam minister Peter Griffiths’ racist campaign installations, audio, robotics, film and support collaborative digital practice, Wray. Alongside this we present slogan, “If you want a nigger for your archive. He chose to incorporate which will be presented during the Autoicon (1998), the original digital neighbour vote Labour”. The racial his medical condition in his artistic exhibition. These new works further archival website created in 1998 by climate to which Rodney was exposed practice, using it as a metaphor interrogate Rodney’s key technology Mike Phillips and members of Donald had a lasting impression on him. of black emasculation and racial enabled works originally produced Rodney plc. Autoicon was created stereotyping. Examples include the in the 1990s, Autoicon and Psalms specifically as a digital repository of delicate My Mother, My Father, My - and reference the interdisciplinary archival artefacts, related to Rodney. Sister, My Brother, a miniature sculpture methods Rodney brought together Rodney and Mike Phillips, as former of a house made from Rodney’s skin, in order to facilitate his practice, students of Slade School of Art, taken from his body, during one of specifically the art making collective were inspired by Jeremy Bentham, many operations he endured due to his ‘Donald Rodney plc’ comprising its founder, who left instructions for illness. Sadly, Rodney died from sickle- artists Keith Piper, Gary Stewart, and his own immortalization, through the cell anaemia in March 1998, aged 37. technologist Mike Phillips. creation of his Autoicon. “The Rodney Autoicon is being fashioned from the body of medical information gathered over a lifetime, by assembling a virtual body he will be able to exist in a pure information space”. 2 3 The 1997 work, Psalms wheelchair has been brought out of long term storage for this exhibition, and is the impetus for a new performance commission in collaboration with Birmingham Dance Network which navigates physicality and social identity. Originally unveiled at South Gallery, October 1997, as Sketchbook number part of Rodney’s 9 Night in El Dorado Images and text have been carefully 40. Sketch titled exhibition, Psalms is motorised selected from 48 Sketchbooks ‘Ancertral Seat’ using a computer programme, which ,January 1993 produced by Rodney 1982- 98, enables it to continually navigate the Bound volume - digitised by Tate Britain, as part of sketchbook, Ink on gallery space, avoiding obstacles, its Donald Rodney display in 2004. paper, 210 x 145 mm human and inanimate objects alike. These selections provide an insight © The estate of The wheelchair was modified at of Rodney’s thoughts, concerns and Donald Rodney the School of Computing of the state of mind and samples of initial © Tate, London 2015 University of Plymouth to perform designs of planned works, some of a repeated sequence of circles, which are included in the exhibition. spirals and figures of eight, as specified by the artist. Psalms uses Truth Dare, Double-Dare (1994) 8 sonar sensors, shaft-encoders, a is an audio installation, originally video camera and a rate gyroscope commissioned by Ikon Gallery in to determine its position; a neural 1994, featuring Rodney and the late network using normalised RBF Rose Finn-Kelcey and inspired by nodes encodes the sequence of 25 a children’s game. Guy Brett at the semi-circular sequences of positions time of writing the installation review forming the trajectory. described what the audience would encounter “the voices give each artist’s unpremeditated, unrestrained and contradictory feelings about the other…The phrases are very personal and often painfully raw”. The audio provides a narrative of a collaborative experiment by two artists, as opposed to willing partners, their disembodied voices filling the gallery space. Through their dialogical exchange and personalities it brings into question facets of artistic ego, guilt, equality, authorship, gender and race. Like Psalms, the empty automated PSALMS wheelchair, continually navigating Wheelchair the gallery space, avoiding obstacles, Collection The Estate of Donald Rodney human and inanimate objects alike, Truth, Dare, Double-Dare adds further context to Rodney’s deteriorating health at the time of its creation, as he was hospitalised, whilst Rose was mobile. Its inclusion elicits further our understanding of an artist seeking solutions of being present. 4 5 John Barnes (1991) and Mexico We are pleased to include screenings Events Olympics (1991) are light boxes of two important films exploring featuring two sporting iconic Rodney’s life. 3 Songs on Pain Light Full programme details can be found at www.vividprojects.org.uk images, footballer John Barnes and and Time (1995) is a rarely seen video American athletes at the Mexico portrait in deliberately unbalanced Olympics in 1968. Barnes is seen colours, made by Trevor Mathison kicking a banana thrown from the and Edward George and produced crowd during his time as a player for with Black Audio Film Collective. Liverpool FC in 1980s – 90s. Voted The Genome Chronicles (2009) Liverpool’s best ever player by one directed by John Akomfrah will also of the sporting magazines and fifth be screened during the exhibition. all-time best player by Liverpool In the space of a few days in 1998, supporters, during his playing career, filmmaker John Akomfrah lost two Barnes endured the vitriol of racists people very close to him: his mother on the terraces, hurling abuse and and a friend, the British artist Donald notoriously, bananas at Barnes and Rodney. The Genome Chronicles is other black players. This image the filmmaker’s response to these captures one of those moments, events in the form of a ‘song cycle’ where we see Barnes back-heeling in ten parts, which combines his said object thrown from the crowd. own footage of repeated trips to the The Mexico Olympics in 1968 is best Scottish islands of Skye and Mull with 3 Songs of Pain remembered for the moment when Rodney’s own Super 8 footage. Light and Time two black athletes Tommie Smith and Reimaging Donald Rodney raises (25 mins, UK, 1995, John Carlos raised their fists in the by Trevor Mathison Black Power salute on the podium questions and supports audiences and Edward George) whilst the “Star Spangled Banner” to explore how digital technologies 7 October, 6 – 8pm 27 October, 7 – 9pm played in honour of them winning enable, re-define and extend the Public Preview for Digbeth Screening: The Genome Chronicles gold and bronze medals in the 200 creative potential of artists disabled First Friday and 3 Songs on Pain Light & Time metres. Carlos and Smith were by circumstances both social, physical and situational. This aspect Introduction and Q&A with curator booed by the crowd after leaving 22 October 1 – 3pm will be explored further through artist Ian Sergeant and Dr Rina Arya, the podium and later banned by the Collecting Birmingham event in talks and a symposium supported by Wolverhampton University International Olympics Committee partnership with Birmingham 3 Songs of Pain for the gesture. These images The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies Light and Time Museums Trust symbolise defiance; play on, or stand in British Art and University of 28 October, 6 – 9pm Join us for an afternoon exploring (25 mins, UK, 1995, tall in the face of certain sanction to Birmingham to examine the scope of Late viewing for Galleries Night by Trevor Mathison Donald Rodney’s work, its relevance and Edward George) raise awareness of their plight. digital tools to extend artistic practice Board the free Art Bus and gallery and resonance. This will be an for marginalised artists. Through hop between six of Birmingham’s top informal two part event, with lots of the exhibition and events, we hope art venues. Refreshments and guided opportunities to talk, to reflect and to create a space where people can tour available. engage with and contribute to critical to eat cake. Opinions shared during this event will have a direct impact discourse on art, health and society. 4 November, 6 – 8pm on what Birmingham Museums PSALMS collects on behalf of the people of this fair city... have your say. Free live performance of new work commission, with Becca Thomas Meet at 1pm in the BMAG - Round and Genevieve Say of Birmingham Room for the first gallery discussion, Dance Network before walking down to Vivid Projects for an exhibition tour, tea, cake and discussion.

6 7 Works AUTOICON Research & Over ten sessions we hosted a Development 2015 series of workshops with members AUTOICON was a dynamic internet of Wolverhampton Sickle Cell work that simulated both the Care and Support Activity Centre physical presence and elements from 16 July to 08 October. The of the creative personality of the sessions were led by artists Birmingham born artist Donald including Antonio Roberts, who led Rodney who was considered to sessions developing digital content be one the most significant and of photography, text and graphics; essential artists of his generation. Bobbie Gardner led audio recording Rodney increasingly incorporated sessions, JA Digital produced his medical condition in his artistic video content and Jason Daley practice, using it as a metaphor for took portraits for the proposed pathologies of black masculinity, site. Participants gained a range of racial stereotyping and ills of society. skills and information including; an After initiating the project – died from introduction to the project and artist sickle-cell anaemia in March 1998. Donald Rodney, how to write/edit online, recording audio and using an AUTOICON was a six month audio recorder, making short video research project exploring the pieces and digital photography. A digital embodiment and rich legacy group of participants also took part of the artist Donald Rodney, whose in a visit to Ikon Gallery to see the extensive archive of paintings, Vanley Burke exhibition and had sketchbooks, installations and the opportunity to meet Vanley in AUTOICON discussion events ephemera reside at Tate Modern, person. on permanent loan or within the July & October 2015 Vivid Projects Rodney Estate. Two public salons took place at Vivid Mexico Olympics Mexico Olympics doublethink Projects (July & October), where 1991 1991 www.double-think.co.uk the progress of the AUTOICON John Barnes 1991 Light box, fluorescent tube The website was developed through project was shared in discussions 180 x 107 cm a series of workshops with members between members of WSCCSAC Light box, fluorescent tube, 180 x 107 cm Collection The Estate of of Wolverhampton Sickle Cell Care and colleagues of Donald Rodney Collection The Estate Donald Rodney and Activity Centre (WSCCSAC). including Professor Mike Phillips, of Donald Rodney Keith Piper and Marlene Smith. In re-imagining AUTOICON, we have John Barnes Piper and Smith were fellow incorporated similar features utilised 1991 members of the Blk Art Group, during the creation of the original who in the late 1970s and early Light box, fluorescent tube work i.e. video, images, audio and 1980s produced a series of art 180 x 107 cm text, whilst taking advantage of works exploring issues related to the Collection The Estate of digital technology and social media black experience both here in Britain Donald Rodney platforms not available at the time and abroad, addressing issues of of concept in 1997 – 8, The (re) politics, social and cultural injustices Truth Dare, Double-Dare presentation of AUTOICON involved experienced by black and ethnic 1994 collaborating with some of the original minority communities. Audio, text panels artists including Gary Stewart (IniVA) Truth, Dare Double Dare commissioned and Prof Mike Philips (Plymouth by Ikon Gallery. Courtesy the Estate of University – idat) and the new body Rose Finn-Kelcey. of data was derived from interviews (audio/visual) and written text developed by members of WSCCSAC.

8 9 Sketchbooks Books and ephemera Credits (TATE & Donald Rodney Estate) Staying Power – Rodney began committing his thoughts The History of Black People and ideas to his sketchbooks from Reimaging Donald Rodney is curated by Ian Sergeant in Britain the age of seventeen and between and produced by Yasmeen Baig-Clifford. Peter Fryer 1982 and 1998 he produced forty eight distinct sketchbooks. These Black Visual Culture – sketchbooks contained Rodney’s Ian Sergeant began his career in the Yasmeen Baig-Clifford is a producer Modernity & Postmodernity arts in 1994 as a founder member and curator who has developed thoughts and ideas and in themselves Gen Doy are regarded as works of art, uniform of Black Pyramid Film and Video, numerous media arts exhibitions in look and a continuous thread of Welcome to the Jungle – , and has since worked for and projects since 2000. Recent developing projects, revisions of past New Positions in Black Cultural institutions, including The Drum Arts projects include: 2015 / Queer projects and notes to self. One could Studies Centre, New Arts Exchange, Arts Traces / Season of black queer probably work out the health and Kobena Mercer Council and Birmingham City live art, digital and moving image physical state of Rodney due to the Council. Throughout 2015 Ian led an practice for mac Birmingham; 2014- legibility and illegibility of his writing at There Ain’t No Black in the Arts Council funded research project 15 / A Record of Undying / George times. Despite his condition, Rodney’s Union Jack Reimaging AUTOICON exploring Saxon solo show; 2014 / Looking wit and humour was sharp and cutting Paul Gilroy the digital embodiment and legacy Out From The CCCS exhibition with images such as Anatomy of Britain, of Donald Rodney. As an associate and events series in association The Empire Strikes Back – featuring the map of Great Britain of Vivid Projects since 2012 he has with University of Birmingham Race & Racism in 70s Britain designed in the shape of a skeleton. curated Free School an interrogation CCCS50 project; 2013 / Slide/Tape Centre for Contemporary Cultural Mau Mau School of Drumming – Ritual of the life and legacy of black power In collaboration with Dr Mo White Studies Advance referenced the Kenyan Mau activist Michael X. In 2014, Fear of a (University of Loughborough) on Black Space, on the regeneration of tape-slide art in Britain, 1970-80s. Mau fighting for independence against Black Artists in British Art – Birmingham through the arts. As a Publications include What We’re British colonialism in the 1950s. Whilst A History since the 1950s consultant for Wolverhampton Art Trying to Do is Make Popular Politics: A New Black Aesthetic may have Eddie Chambers referred to Rodney’s desire to see the Gallery, he has led public engagement The Birmingham Film and Video emergence of black art to challenge The black arts movement – workshops for Yara El Sherbini’s Workshop. Baig-Clifford, Long and the status quo of western arts practice Literary Nationalism in the exhibition The Current Situation, in Shannon, Historical Journal of Film, and canon. Tate Britain has now 1960s and 1970s April 2015, and public engagement Radio and Television Volume 33, digitised these sketchbooks and they James Edward Smethurst workshops throughout 2016 as part Issue 3, 2013. pp 377-395; VASULKA are available to view online. of WAG’s Black Arts, Collecting LAB: LIVE ARCHIVE, VIVID, 2005 and Shades of Black – Assembling Cultures project. He has an MA in RICHARD BILLINGHAM, ZOO, 2006. Black Arts in 1980s Britain Contemporary Curatorial Practice Yasmeen founded Vivid Projects in AUTOICON David A. Bailey, Ian Baucom, from Birmingham City University and 2012, and is an Honorary Research 1998 Sonia Boyce is an Honorary Research Associate Fellow exploring interdisciplinary The original digital archival website with the Department of Digital engagement with the University of created in 1998 by Mike Phillips and The Fight Humanities, University of Birmingham. Birmingham. members of Donald Rodney plc. Norman Mailer The Body Visual PSALMS Helen Chadwick, Letizia Galli, 1991, wheelchair Donald Rodney Screenings and Resource Area Frankenstein Reimaging Donald Rodney is supported by Mary Shelley 3 Songs of Pain Light and Time (25 mins, UK, 1995, by Trevor The Estate of The Body in Pain Donald Rodney ​ Mathison and Edward George) Eileen Scary Additional programme support from University of Birmingham and Birmingham Dance Network. The Genome Chronicles Pygmalion (33mins, UK 2009, directed by George Bernard Shaw John Akomfrah)

10 11 Acknowledgements

Special acknowledgement to Diane Workshops: Antonio Roberts, Symons and Keith Piper, Collection Bobbie Gardner, Jamil and Imran The Estate of Donald Rodney for loans Arshad and Jason Daley of John Barnes, Mexico Olympics and Sketchbook images; Truth, Dare Double Think Website: Sam Wray Double Dare commissioned by Ikon Gallery and exhibited courtesy the Psalms Wheelchair: Prof Mike Phillips Estate of Rose Finn-Kelcey. and Guido Bugmann

Wolverhampton Sickle Cell Care Autoicon: Prof Mike Phillips and Support Activity Centre: Gwen Oscar Sandwell: Anthony Macfarlane, Coates, Marty Rose, Ken Saviour, Rachel McFee and Abdul Alim Sharifa Nandoo, Durante Graham, Janett Morris, Doreen, Eileen, Reimaging Autoicon Salon: Loury T Mooruth and Jennifer Poku. Marlene Smith, Keith Piper and Tim Pratt

Donald Rodney Sketchbook images © The Estate of Donald Rodney Photo credit © Tate, London 2016

Exhibition installation technicians Michael Lightborne, Matt Moore, and Daniel Salisbury

In Memory of Kevin Dunkley Design by Keith Dodds 1969 – 2016 Vivid Projects is a non-profit collaborative space dedicated to exploring all forms of media art practice and is based at 16 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, Birmingham, B5 5RS. See the projects archive at www.vividprojects.org.uk

8 Oct – 5 Nov 2016 Launches 7 Oct, 6 – 8pm Open Thu – Sat, 12 – 5pm

Vivid Projects, 16 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley St, Birmingham B5 5RS [email protected]​​ vividprojects.org.uk​ @VIVID_ vividprojectsuk #donaldrodney2016