For the first UK presentation, Chimurenga infiltrated The Showroom’s building in the form of The Chimurenga Library, inserting ourselves into the existing frameworks, functions and structures of the space without displacing its everyday activities. 

For the first five days The Chimurenga Library played host to PASS with a live broadcasting programme of music, interviews and events with Chimurenga collaborators in London including musicians, journalists, writers, curators and filmmakers. The live broadcast studio functioned amidst a major cartographic installation, mapping a series of ‘routes’ running throughout the building between the two floors.

These taped routes linked ideas with people, writing, research, music, publications, record cover design and other materials. 

Areas of interest included the work of photographer George Hallett – who used the book jacket and record sleeve as a curated exhibition space during the apartheid era; a critical look at the concept of and crude distinction drawn between Sub-Saharan and Arab Africa; and FESTAC ’77, the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture held in Lagos from 15 January to 12 February 1977.

Working with many UK collaborators such as the London-based collective Sorryyoufeeluncomfortable and UK participants of FESTAC ’77, ideas, thinking and debate will move fluidly between events, environments, broadcasts, music and sound recordings, publications, archive material and objects.

Bringing together existing work, research material and areas of interest whilst at the same time expanding focal points, the project represents a moment of activation, interaction and expansion within a mobile and complex network of geographical and organisational contexts.

The London PASS was programmed by Chimurenga, The Otolith Collective, Sorryyoufeeluncomfortable, Nadeem Din-Gabisi, Deborah Findlater, Laurél Hadleigh, Jacob V Joyce, Rabz Lansiquot, Nyasha Mangera-Lakew, Anni Movsisyan, Yusuf Musse, Salina Popova and Imani Robinson) and Pass Me the Microphone (Amanprit Sandhu and Hansi Momodu-Gordon). Guest presenters and interviewees include: Kinsi Abdullah (Numbi Arts), Larry Achiampong, Teju Adeleye, Agency for Agency (Barby Asante and Teresa Cisneros), Junior Boakye-Yiadom, Paul Bradshaw, Phoebe Boswell, James Currey, Dego (2000 Black), Christine Eyene, Bryan Gee, Henriette Gunkel, Hassan Hajjaj, Ayesha Hameed, Shabaka Hutchings, Anthony Joseph, Yoel Keenan, Kevin LeGendre, Jenny Mbaye, Michael McMillan, Christian Nyampeta, Zak Ove, Hardeep Pandhal, Pinise Saul, George Shire, Dele Sosimi, Tom Skinner, Marsha Smith, Matthew Temple, Kemang Wa Lehulere, Esa Williams and Rehana Zaman.

The Chimurenga Library in New York also played host to the Pan African Space Station, with a live broadcasting programme of music, interviews and events with Chimurenga collaborators in London including musicians, journalists, writers, curators and filmmakers.

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