Wandering Abroad 2009 — Corinne Silva

Leeds Art Gallery, 2009

The starting point for moving image installation Wandering Abroad is the life and death of David Oluwale, whose body was pulled out of the River Aire in 1969, but it also serves as an elegy to the experience of the many economic and political migrants who have come to Leeds over the years and continue to do so.

David Oluwale had travelled to England from Nigeria in 1949 with dreams of being an engineer. Arriving in Hull, he was sentenced as a stowaway to a term in Armley Gaol, Leeds; 20 years later he was found drowned in the Aire, having being hounded by local police. The film, featuring Caribbean and West African music from the period, traces Oluwale’s final journey down the river, but also narrates a journey through the city, and through time, resonant with the march of change brought about through the urban development common to many northern post-industrial cities, which often provides little space for new communities to co-exist with the world of commerce.

The moving image installation was made with support from Arts Council England and commissioned by Leeds Art Gallery, curated by Nigel Walsh. Wandering Abroad is accompanied by a 52 pp catalogue with video stills by the artist and texts by Nigel Walsh, Curator of Contemporary Art at Leeds Art Gallery, and author Caryl Phillips.

Direction and origination: Corinne Silva

Camera operators: Stuart Dunn, David McCormick

Camera assistants: Alex Veitch, Andrew Basford

Sound: Kevin J Walsh

Video editor: Sean Mackenzie

Original music: Harry Hamer

Saxophone: Richard Bostock

All other music by kind permission of Honest Jon’s

Contributors: Gabriel Adams; Arthur France MBE; Abiye Hector Goma

View the video here

Wandering Abroad, room installation view, Leeds Art Gallery, 2009

Warehouse, Knostrop Cut, Aire and Calder Navigation, video still, 2009

J Wilkinson’s Flax Mill, Hunslet, Aire and Calder Navigation, video still, 2009

Aire and Calder Navigation, Leeds City Centre, video still, 2009

Crown Hotel, Hunslet, video still, 2009

Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Leeds City Centre, video still, 2009

East Street, Leeds, video still, 2009

Waterfront, River Aire, near Leeds City Station, video still, 2009

South Accomodation Road Flyover, Leeds, video still, 2009

Marsh Lane, Leeds, video still, 2009

Waterfront, Knostrop video still, 2009

exhibition catalogue, Leeds Art Gallery, 2009, with essays by Nigel Walsh and Caryl Phillips

CLICK TO WATCH: Corinne Silva introducing 'Wandering Abroad' (2009)

Wandering Abroad, room installation view, Leeds Art Gallery, 2009Wandering Abroad, room installation view, Leeds Art Gallery, 2009

Warehouse, Knostrop Cut, Aire and Calder Navigation, video still, 2009Warehouse, Knostrop Cut, Aire and Calder Navigation, video still, 2009

J Wilkinson’s Flax Mill, Hunslet, Aire and Calder Navigation, video still, 2009J Wilkinson’s Flax Mill, Hunslet, Aire and Calder Navigation Video still, 2009

Aire and Calder Navigation, Leeds City Centre, video still, 2009Aire and Calder Navigation, Leeds City Centre, video still, 2009

Crown Hotel, Hunslet, video still, 2009Crown Hotel, Hunslet, video still, 2009

Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Leeds City Centre, video still, 2009Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Leeds City Centre, video still, 2009

East Street, Leeds, video still, 2009East Street, Leeds, video still, 2009

Waterfront, River Aire, near Leeds City Station, video still, 2009Waterfront, River Aire, near Leeds City Station, video still, 2009

South Accomodation Road Flyover, Leeds, video still, 2009South Accomodation Road Flyover, Leeds, video still, 2009

Marsh Lane, Leeds, video still, 2009Marsh Lane, Leeds, video still, 2009

Waterfront, Knostrop video still, 2009Waterfront, Knostrop video still, 2009

exhibition catalogue, Leeds Art Gallery, 2009, with essays by Nigel Walsh and Caryl Phillips

CLICK TO WATCH: Corinne Silva introducing 'Wandering Abroad' (2009) Corinne Silva introducing Wandering Abroad, hosted by the International New Media Gallery (www.inmg.org) at Sussex University, 2012.

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Wandering Abroad

HD Digital video on Blu-ray, 12’ 48”, Dolby Digital 5.1. edition of 3 + 1 artist’s and 1 curator’s proof.

Film stills, digital c type print, 61 x 34 cm, edition of 6 + 2 AP

Leeds Art Gallery, 2009