Mónica de Miranda explores African diasporic experiences and Europe’s colonial past in new Shoreditch exhibition

Whistle for the Wind, from The Island, 2021. Photograph: Mónica de Miranda

A free exhibition exploring African experiences of migration opens this Friday in Shoreditch.

Mónica de Miranda’s The Island features a 37-minute film and a series of photographs that will debut at Autograph gallery on Rivington Place.

The works are rooted in methodical research and use the metaphor of an island to represent African liberation movements, experiences of migration, and the way in which identity is formed.

Autograph director Professor Mark Sealy said: “Mónica de Miranda is one of Europe’s leading contemporary artists, and Autograph is proud to have commissioned her to create new work for The Island.

“The exhibition offers audiences an opportunity to reflect on Portugal’s entangled colonial histories, memory, and African diasporic experiences.”

Tide, from The Island, 2021. Photograph: Mónica de Miranda

De Miranda is an Angolan-Portuguese artist, filmmaker and researcher living between Lisbon and Luanda.

She explores sociopolitical narratives, gender, and memory in her work, using multimedia techniques to tell stories that often push the boundaries between fact and fiction.

Born in Portugal’s second city of Porto in 1976, de Miranda went on to study at Camberwell College of Art before obtaining an MSc from the Institute of Education in London, as well as a PhD from the University of Middlesex.

She rose to prominence through her work documenting the ruins of modern hotels in post-war Angola.

Mónica de Miranda: The Island runs from 24 June until 22 October at Autograph, Rivington Place, EC2A 3BA. Entry is free.

To find out more, including how to book timed tickets, visit autograph.org.uk.