‘We should not erase history’: Yinka Shonibare on his new exhibition and the impact of imperial ambition

Published

3 weeks ago

April 13, 2024

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Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill and Sir Charles Napier statues are dressed to impress in Dutch wax fabrics but stripped of their bronze, marble and their power.

An intention of Turner Prize-nominated artist Yinka Shonibare, who says we should question colonial history – not topple it.

He told Sky News: “I personally don’t think that, you know, you should be pulling statues down. I think that, in the same way that you wouldn’t go into a library and start burning all the books you didn’t like.

“I don’t think you can erase history.”

Shonibare’s nuanced view comes at a time when there is vociferous debate on the role statues play, from colonialist Cecil Rhodes at an Oxford college to 17th-century slave merchant Edward Colston – whose statue was pulled down in 2020 and rolled into Bristol harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest.

“I think that, the best thing to do is to create platforms in which people can actually have a debate to have a conversation. We also know that a person of the 19th century has different values.

“They’re not the same as a person now. And so I think that we can’t necessarily conflate the 19th century with us. So I think we need some perspective. I think that, but we should not, erase history.”

In his new exhibition Suspended States at London’s Serpentine Gallery, the artist looks at the impact of imperial ambition.

More than 5,000 books make a piece called The War Library, all covered in Shonibare’s signature Dutch wax fabrics.

On the spines, he’s written names of global conflicts and peace treaties from the 7th century to the present day.

One is titled Operation Grapes Of Wrath, a 1996 Israeli operation against Hezbollah.

Another is titled Gaza War, but Shonibare says he’s not taking sides or speaking on contemporaneous issues specifically.

Instead he’s trying to show history repeating itself.

“The idea there is to remind people that we’ve actually been here before, and we keep having these peace treaties. Why do we, as human beings, why do we keep doing that?

“It’s a question we need to ask ourselves.”

He said the aim of the artwork was to archive and to remind people that “perhaps you ought to start doing something about this to kind of stop this”.

Part of the exhibition recreates buildings that have historically been safe places for the vulnerable including Notre Dame, Chiswick Women’s Refuge and United Nations headquarters – all in miniature, with the only colour being Dutch fabrics illuminated inside.

For the Nigerian-born artist rhetoric around refugees, like British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak making migrant crossings one of his five priorities, is at odds.

“Phrases like ‘stop the boats’ is not something that I’m sympathetic with because we may go through a natural disaster here. We may be seeking refuge elsewhere. So we do have to be compassionate.

“We live in a very rich country, and I think housing should be at the top of our list.

“And I think that’s how you actually start to tackle some of the fundamental, social problems that we have… with housing, then, you can get a job. You can actually contribute to the economy.”

Conflict, refugees and our colonial history, Shonibare’s exhibition themes are hard-hitting and topical but all beautifully dressed.

Suspended States is on at the Serpentine South from 12 April to 1 September.

Entertainment

Chris Packham ‘not drinking any more Heineken’ after thousands of apple trees felled

Published

13 hours ago

April 30, 2024

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Chris Packham 'not drinking any more Heineken' after thousands of apple trees felled

A leading wildlife broadcaster has said he will not be drinking “any more” Heineken after the company felled thousands of trees in one of its orchards.

Chris Packham said the decision to cut the trees on land in Monmouthshire near the border between England and Wales was a “tragic waste of a fabulous resource”.

The BBC reported thousands of apple trees had been cut on 300 acres of land at Penrhos Farm.

The company, which owns Bulmer’s, says it plans to sell the land due to a lack of demand for cider and a surplus of apples.

But Chris Packham, best known for presenting series such as Springwatch, told Sky News that the decision to fell the trees was “immoral”.

“In a biodiversity crisis, I would say it’s bordering on unethical and certainly immoral because resources like that ought to be passed on to people who can use them to enrich wildlife and human life,” he said.

Mr Packham added that he was currently teetotal and had been drinking one of Heineken’s alcohol-free products.

“I’m not drinking any more of it, because I just think we want companies in our lives that are looking after our planet and our future and our children’s future,” he said.

“They had an opportunity to do that and they’ve just squandered it, I just think it’s really short-sighted.”

The benefits of orchards, according to the Woodland Trust, include the fact fruit trees age quickly which creates deadwood habitats.

‘Disgraceful’

Fellow broadcaster Iolo Williams is calling for a boycott of the company after the “disgraceful” felling.

“I think that with these big companies, the only way [can make our voice heard] is to boycott them, hit them in the pocket,” he told Sky News.

“Because I do think, I genuinely think, it’s tragic what they’ve done when we could have helped to tackle the biodiversity crisis, the climate emergency, physical and mental health issues.

“All of these could have been helped just by them saying ‘Listen, we’re not going to use it again, why don’t we give it over to the local community?'”

Charles Watson, chair of River Action UK said the catchment of the River Wye needed “every tree and plant available” if its decline had “any chance of being reversed”.

“It is hugely disappointing to see Heineken destroy such a huge volume of natural biomass,” he said.

“Yet again the environment is being sacrificed for corporate profit.”

‘Huge surplus of apples’

A Heineken spokesperson said the company made clear its intention to sell Penrhos Farm, one of two apple farms it owns, in November last year.

“Over a number of years, the cider market has slowed and the yield of apples per acre has increased leading to a huge surplus of apples,” they said.

The spokesperson added that the apples have “no other use than creating cider”.

“In order to make best use of the land to grow other crops, the bush orchards had to be removed,” they said.

“All the wood is shredded for biomass and the bushes were removed in line with The Wildlife Act.”

The company says it “firmly” remains a cider, beer and pub company and sources all of its apples from around 6,000 acres of orchards in and around Herefordshire.

Entertainment

Line Of Duty actor Brian McCardie dies aged 59

Published

13 hours ago

April 30, 2024

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Line Of Duty actor Brian McCardie dies aged 59

Line Of Duty actor Brian McCardie has died “suddenly at home” at the age of 59, his family has confirmed.

Best known for playing mafia boss John Thomas ‘Tommy’ Hunter in the TV crime drama, the Scottish star had also recently joined the cast of Outlander prequel, Blood Of My Blood.

His sister confirmed his death on X, writing: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Brian James McCardie, beloved son, brother, uncle and dear friend to so many.

“Brian passed away suddenly at home on Sunday 28th April. A wonderful and passionate actor on stage and screen, Brian loved his work and touched many lives, and is gone much too soon.

“We love him and will miss him greatly; please remember Brian in your thoughts.”

She said funeral arrangements would be announced in the days ahead.

No cause of death was given.

McCardie’s agent, United Agents, paid tribute on social media, writing: “We are shocked and so deeply saddened by the tragic news of Brian McCardie’s sudden death.

“He was an actor of such great talent who we were lucky to represent, and our thoughts are very much with his family and friends at this difficult time.”

A statement from Line Of Duty producers Jed Mercurio and Simon Heath and the team behind the hit show, said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of Brian McCardie’s death.

“We feel honoured to have worked with Brian on Line Of Duty. Brian was an incredibly talented actor, and the lasting impact he had as Tommy Hunter is testament to the power of his performance.

“Off screen, Brian couldn’t have been more different from the character he played – he was warm, funny and charming. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time.”

With a career stretching over three decades, McCardie had appeared in numerous TV shows over the years – but it was his role in Line Of Duty for which he was best known.

Tommy Hunter, a criminal boss turned police informant, was one of the show’s original characters, who met a violent end early on in series two.

But Hunter went on to be mentioned in both series three and series five, and was a key player in the nail-biting police corruption whodunnit.

McCardie, who grew up Carluke, near Glasgow, appeared in an episode of Outlander, playing Sir Marcus MacRannoch, before being cast as the chief of Clan Grant in the forthcoming Outlander prequel.

The show, which centres around the lives of Outlander character Jamie Fraser’s parents, is currently filming in Scotland, according to Starz network.

In Rob Roy, McCardie starred as Alasdair MacGregor, the brother of the title character, who was played by Northern Ireland actor Liam Neeson.

His other film parts include the 2013 adaption of Irvine Welsh novel Filth, which starred James McAvoy, and 2003 period drama Mr Barrington.

McCardie also had roles in 2019 Netflix series The Last Czars, along with prison drama Time in 2021, opposite Sean Bean, and Irvine Welsh’s TV series Crime in the same year.

He also appeared in Sky Atlantic’s Domina, set in Ancient Rome, where he played Roman statesman Cicero.

Entertainment

Gerard Depardieu: French actor to face trial over sexual assault allegations

Published

13 hours ago

April 30, 2024

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Gerard Depardieu: French actor to face trial over sexual assault allegations

Gerard Depardieu will face a criminal trial later this year over the alleged sexual assaults of two women on a movie set in 2021, French prosecutors say.

French media had reported that the 75-year-old actor – who has denied any wrongdoing – had been questioned by police in Paris on Monday.

Depardieu’s lawyer Christian Saint-Palais later declined to comment to reporters other than to say that the actor was no longer in custody.

The Paris public prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the actor has been “summoned to appear before the criminal court” after the questioning.

It said the trial will start in October “for sexual assaults likely to have been committed in September 2021” against “two victims, on the set of the film The Green Shutters”.

In February, the French actor faced a complaint of sexual assault from a female movie decorator alleging he groped her during filming in 2021, kneading her waist, stomach, and breasts during filming for the movie Les Volets Verts, a title that translates to The Green Shutters in English.

Meanwhile, last year, a French site published claims from 13 other women who worked with Depardieu and said they had experienced inappropriate advances, groping and gestures.

Depardieu was handed preliminary rape and sexual assault charges in 2020 following allegations from actress Charlotte Arnould.

In that case, the investigating judge completed his investigation on 17 April and transferred the file to the Paris public prosecutor’s office “to review and determine next steps in the proceeding,” according to the prosecutor’s office.

In October last year, Depardieu wrote an open letter to Le Figaro – one of France’s best-known publications – to deny the claims of rape and sexual assault made against him.

In it, he said he had “never, ever abused a woman” and that “hurting a woman would be like kicking my own mother in the stomach”.

He has previously denied all the claims against him through a lawyer.

A global ambassador for French film, Depardieu is among France‘s most famous stars, known for films such as Cyrano de Bergerac and Jean de Florette – as well as the Hollywood hits Green Card and The Man In The Iron Mask.

He has appeared in 200 films over six decades and is among a few French actors who have made a name for themselves in Hollywood.

This latest episode involving Depardieu comes as French cinema is rocked by a belated #MeToo awakening, following the 2017 global movement.

In February, French actress Judith Godreche made an impassioned speech during the Cesar Awards – which is France’s version of the Oscars – for the French film industry to “face the truth” on sexual violence and physical abuse.