Zineb Sedira
Works
Standing Here Wondering Which Way to Go
Date
2019
Description
The work takes its title from a song by Marion Williams, an African American gospel singer. It is a reflection on the utopian era of the 1960s, and in particular on Algeria’s role in the liberation movements of African and South American countries following its independence in 1962. The artist’s exploration of the film archives in Algiers, where she discovered numerous militant films of the 1960s, was a primary source of inspiration, as was the collective film by William Klein about the first Pan-African Festival of Algiers in 1969. Zineb Sedira uses archival documents, as well as found footage and objects, to portray and share her personal affinity with the liberation movements of the 1960s, reminding the public of the solidarity that developed throughout the world and was expressed through diverse forms of artistic creativity.
The life-size model of the artist’s living room includes a variety of personal objects and furniture that she herself has carefully collected over several decades. The installation reproduces part of Sedira’s intimate environment, taking the form of a diorama for the exhibition. The artist invites visitors to delve into her collection by reading archival documents and books, viewing a video, and listening to a playlist of soundtracks.