British-Ghanaian artist John Akomfrah’s independent film The Nine Muses is a thoughtful, poetic piece of cinema that explores the immigrant experience of Post War Britain.
Using literary works including Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ as backdrop and inspiration The Nine Muses portrays what it was like back then for people on the move from the far corners of the world toward their shared destination, a Britain still recovering from the ravages of war. The film combines original archive material including newsreels with recently shot imagery from the cold wilds of Alaska. The imagery in places is stunning and lives up to the heavyweight quotes and ambitious concept. It ponders about who we are and where we’re heading in a more globalised culture as well as shining a light on Britain’s not so distant past.
The Nine Muses is showing at the ICA
