Slade School of Fine Art



Raimi Gbadamosi, PhD

The inter-relationship between race, power and language has been chronicled in various forms. And despite attempts at renegotiation, the nature of polemical positioning does not seem to change. Visual polemics finds itself constantly defined and framed by cultural politics, placing aesthetic concerns in a conflicting dialogue with its content. This means these artworks rarely enter discourses of 'Art' as cultural 'equals' with those ostensibly engaged in producing art 'for art's sake' consequently when works do enter, they appear tokenistic.

In a bid to 'allow' entry into the discourse, unspoken markers are generated for the art of the 'other'. These 'codes' are mutually understood and manipulated by the artist, the gallery, and their audiences. I find this apparent disavowal fruitless, as emotional involvement is imperative when dealing with projects of personal concern. I am therefore obligated to consider the implications and consequences of antagonism resulting from apparent cultural and political posturing.

The traditions and language of art as a practice have provided starting points for launches into technological possibilities of articulating difference. To this end, I have produced work which takes many guises, representing a Nation State (, projects that exist on the Internet, travelling works that generate experiences in discretion, to installations in gallery spaces. The dialogue proceeds.

Raimi Gbadamosi completed his PhD in Fine Art in 2001.

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