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Tuesday 9 August 2005 - PRESS RELEASE

The final shortlist for the Living Memorial in London to Nigerian writer and campaigner Ken Saro-Wiwa has been announced today. Out of 47 submissions, proposals from artists, architects, and activists Sokari Douglas Camp, Siraj Izhar, Emmanuel Jegede, Emily Johns, and collaboration George Knott/Frances Newman/Jeff Jackson have been selected to go through to the final round which will be judged in November.

Sculptor Sokari Douglas Camp proposes a transformed Nigerian bus, emblazoned with the words of Ken Saro-Wiwa; multimedia artist Siraj Izhar proposes an LED light portrait of Saro-Wiwa, electrified by cycle-power; Emmanuel Jegede’s sculpture is a rotating giant hand holding an adorned bronze pen, supported by eight hands seeping water; printmaker and activist Emily Johns gives us a people’s printing press which enables a DIY dissemination of Saro-Wiwa's life’s work through printing posters; architects/artists collaboration Knott, Newman, Jackson literally transplant the flora of the Niger Delta to the petrol forecourts that are destroying it.

10th November 2005 will be the 10th anniversary of the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight fellow campaigners, who were “judicially murdered”I by the Nigerian government for their stance against the despoilation of the Niger Delta by foreign oil companies. The situation in the delta has steadily worsened since their deaths: a situation that Ken himself called genocidal.ii

Remember Saro-Wiwa is a major project to create a Living Memorial in London to Ken and all those who have died in similar circumstances, in recognition of London’s dependency on oil, and the fact that Shell – the major player in the Niger delta – is part-based here. In the context of the G8 Summit, Make Poverty History, Africa 05 – the UK-wide festival of arts and culture, and London’s Mayor’s Commission on African and Asian Heritage iii, this memorial is timely, and is backed by a weighty coalition. iv The project was launched at London’s City Hall by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, Anita Roddick and Ken Wiwa (jr) in March this year.

The Shortlisting Panel reflected the range of issues inherent in the project. They were David A Bailey – curator, RSW team; Mark Brown – climate activist, London Rising Tide; Michaela Crimmin – Head of Arts, RSA; Pauline de Souza, Director, Diversity Art Forum; Manick Govinda – Artists Advisor, ArtsAdmin, Dr Jane Rendell – Bartlett School of Architecture; Anita Roddick – business woman and activist; John Sauven – Director, Greenpeace; Jane Trowell, Remember Saro-Wiwa team, PLATFORM; Ken Wiwa (jr) – son of Ken Saro-Wiwa, journalist and campaigner.

The shortlisted artists will present their developed ideas in an exhibition to be held from mid-October to December, and the Judging Panel - which is chaired by Baroness Lola Young and includes artists Alfredo Jaar, Yinka Shonibare, broadcaster Jon Snow and politician Lee Jasper - will announce the winning proposal on 10th anniversary, 10th November 2005, with installation taking place in mid-2006.

The project has been financially supported to date by Greenpeace, Roddick Foundation, Staples Trust, Tedworth Trust, and PLATFORM, with substantial sponsorship in kind from Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and Index on Censorship. Arts Council England have recently awarded a major grant to the project.

David A. Bailey is available for interview by arrangement.
For more information: www.remembersarowiwa.com
RSW Team at PLATFORM - contact number: 0207 357 0055

Notes
i. UK Prime Minister John Major, 1995
ii. Genocide in Nigeria, by Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saros Publishing, 1992
iii. MCAAH, launched Monday 18th July 2005, Victoria and Albert Museum.
iv. The project is led by London-based arts, ecology and human rights group PLATFORM, backed by a coalition comprising African Writers Abroad, Amnesty International, Christian Aid, Diversity Art Forum, English PEN, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Human Rights Watch, Index on Censorship, Mayor of London, Minorities of Europe, Anita and Gordon Roddick, South Bank Centre, and Spinwatch.
PLATFORM website: www.platformlondon.org

Remember Saro-Wiwa is a partner to Africa 05.
* Africa 05 is a series of major cultural events taking place in the UK that celebrates contemporary and past cultures from across the continent and the diaspora. Key partners for Africa 05 are Arts Council England, British Museum and the South Bank Centre in association with the BBC. For further information on Africa 05 or to interview Programme Director Gus Casely-Hayford please contact: Truda Spruyt, Ruth Cairns or Victoria Harris at Colman Getty PR; Tel: 020 7631 2666 or email them using the formula: firstname@colmangettypr.co.uk

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