Larry Achiampong

Larry Achiampong presented a series of eight different Pan African flags, exhibited across ten locations, on buildings and streets throughout Liverpool city centre. With some designs featuring 54 stars that represent the 54 countries of Africa, the flags evoke solidarity and collective empathy – while some of the locations speak to Liverpool’s connection with the enslavement of West Africans as part of the transatlantic slave trade. The colours of the flags reflect Pan African symbolism: green, black and red represent Africa’s land, people and the struggles the continent has endured respectively, while yellow-gold represents a new dawn and prosperity. Achiampong has configured these colours into icons that are suggestive of community, motion and the human figure in ascension.

For Liverpool Biennial 2021, four of the artist’s flags from his original series were shown - Ascension, Community, Motion and Squadron - as well as four new flag designs that generate new symbolic constitutions;

• What I hear I Keep – related to the act of sending and receiving messages that resonate.
• Dualities – related to the connection between those born within the African continent and those of the African Diaspora.
• Bringers of Life – related to the eternal reverence of the elements that bring and fortify life.
• Mothership – in praise, honour and respect of the centre of community; Black Womxn.

Supported by The African Arts Trust. 'What I Hear I Keep' was commissioned by De La Warr Pavilion.

Our full exhibition programme is now closed, but visitors can still enjoy art in person at FACT and Bluecoat until August & September. Plan your visit here.