Song for Africa 1977 - 1978

Curator: David Leverett's "Song for Africa" presents a collage of fragmented imagery, blending photographic transfers with painted textures. I'm struck by the layering of materials. Editor: It feels quite mournful, despite the bursts of red and yellow. The overlaid images and text create a sense of displacement, almost like fragmented memories. Curator: Leverett's process is key here. He combines found imagery with his own gestural marks, effectively questioning the documentary truth of photography itself. The printed words hint at specific histories and narratives. Editor: I see how the superimposition of images—the landscape, the people, the text—speak to the complex and often painful history of representation and exploitation. This work functions as a critical commentary. Curator: Indeed. The piece challenges how we consume images of Africa, prompting us to consider the power dynamics embedded within their production and circulation. It's a work about materiality and visibility. Editor: Looking at it again, it’s clear this isn’t just a song of celebration, but a lament. A powerful statement about the politics of seeing.