John Akomfrah Pays Tribute to African, Caribbean and South Asian Soldiers Who Fought the World War I

Over six million African, Caribbean, and South Asian soldiers from the British Empire served in World War I, their sacrifices largely erased from mainstream histories. They endured brutal conditions, systemic racism, and the profound disillusionment of fighting a war that was not their own. John Akomfrah's Mimesis: African Soldier, currently on display at Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), reclaims these stories with evocative power, placing their contributions at the forefront of collective memory.

The exhibition prompts viewers to consider the entwined themes of history, memory, and racial injustice. With 110 years having passed since the outbreak of World War I, Akomfrah's poignant reflection on the human cost of imperial conflict remains strikingly relevant.

These soldiers came from diverse regions and backgrounds, often conscripted or coerced into service under promises of respect and recognition that would never materialize. Many served in the most grueling and hazardous conditions—digging trenches, carrying supplies, or serving on the front lines—while enduring inferior rations, substandard equipment, and harsh climates.

Despite their sacrifices, they faced systemic discrimination from their own ranks, often being paid less than their white counterparts and excluded from positions of leadership. When the war ended, the promises of land, rights, or improved social standing evaporated. Instead, they returned to societies that dismissed their contributions, with their heroism ignored or reduced to anonymity in official records. For many, the war left not only physical scars but also a lingering sense of betrayal that would resonate across generations.

"Whatever the life is that you have got as a person of colour, we have arrived at that life in large part because of sacrifices made by people from elsewhere who are very rarely acknowledged and it is important that they are," explained Akomfrah in 2018.

Presented across three screens, the work immerses viewers in a tapestry of archival footage, contemporary reimaginings, and still-life compositions. This triptych approach allows multiple narratives to unfold simultaneously. Archival materials are juxtaposed with poetic imagery: flowing water cascading over objects such as photographs, flags, and medals evokes themes of transience, loss, and the erasure of history. These visuals, paired with an emotive soundscape and interspersed with powerful words like “disenchantment” and “disgust,” evoke the complex emotional landscape of those who fought in a war that was not theirs to claim.

One of the most striking elements of Mimesis is its absence of a spoken narrative. Instead, Akomfrah employs text and sound to punctuate the visuals, creating moments of reflection that resist didacticism. This silence allows viewers to engage more actively, piecing together the fragments of history and emotion that the artist lays bare. The work confronts us with the question: whose stories are memorialized, and whose are forgotten?

Akomfrah's montage technique—blending archival footage with newly shot material—highlights the continuing relevance of these histories. The poetic aesthetic does not dilute the political urgency of the piece; rather, it amplifies the demand for recognition of the sacrifices made by colonial soldiers. This approach underscores the systemic disenfranchisement that persists today, tracing a direct line from the battlefield to contemporary struggles for racial equity.

The exhibition is not just a historical reckoning but also a critique of how we engage with memory. Akomfrah's decision to use fragmented narratives reflects the fractured way in which colonial contributions to the war effort have been documented. Yet, in this fragmentation lies an undeniable power, as the piece weaves together a collective memory that challenges the viewer's complacency.

Ultimately, Mimesis: African Soldier is more than an artwork; it is a reclamation. Akomfrah honors the lives that have been marginalized in the grand narratives of war, compelling us to remember and to question how we construct history. As the exhibition unfolds, it becomes clear that this act of remembrance is not just about the past but about shaping a more inclusive future.