Karimah Ashadu's "Plateau": A Film Installation Exploring West African Mining Labor and Independence

Karimah Ashadu's film installation 'Plateau' explores the lives and labor of unregistered workers mining tin and columbite on the Jos Plateau in Nigeria. The exhibition highlights the beauty in the everyday, the self-reliance of the people, and their pursuit of independence amidst challenging socio-economic conditions and environmental exploitation.

The exhibition 'Plateau' by Karimah Ashadu presents a new film installation that investigates the living and working conditions within the socio-economic context of West Africa. The work focuses on unregistered workers who mine for tin and columbite on the Jos Plateau in Central Nigeria, a region with a long history of mining that dramatically shifted after the market collapse in 1985. Ashadu's film captures the resilience and self-reliance of these workers, who despite dangerous conditions and past exploitation, engage in arduous labor driven by the promise of profit and a bid for personal independence. The film features testimonies from workers, villagers, and landowners, offering diverse perspectives on the history of tin mining, the exploitation of the land, and the associated risks and rewards. Ashadu's distinctive cinematic approach emphasizes an observational stance, exploring the space between the camera, the subject, and the body, while also capturing the vibrant colors of the landscape. The cactus motif is employed as a metaphor for resilience and the cultural significance of the land. The installation in the Secession expands on these themes with a two-channel presentation, interspersed with close-ups of hands and feet in the earth, confronting viewers with alternative perspectives. Complementing the film are sculptures crafted from clay, fabric scraps, and glass, with engraved terms reflecting the workers' precarious balance between high stakes, profit, and loss, and the historical use of glass as a colonial control mechanism.

Visitors can find ticketing information and purchase tickets through the provided link to Eventjet, which also serves as the shop for the Secession. General museum opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 6 PM.