“Power doesn’t die. It reinvents itself” is the portentous statement at the heart of interdisciplinary artist Osman Yousefzada’s new solo exhibition at The Box in Plymouth.
“When will we be good enough?” raises questions about global power dynamics and explores the impact of colonial histories on contemporary life. Cornwall's historic role in the global communications infrastructure and Plymouth's maritime history were starting points for the exhibition, which was born out of Yousefzada’s realisation that the modern network of submarine data cables mirrors historic seafaring routes linked to the slave trade and used during times of colonialisation.
Plymouth has a deep-rooted naval history dating back to the days of Sir Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada, due to its strategic location and central role in supporting the Royal Navy through major conflicts. Legend has it that Drake played bowls on Plymouth Hoe in 1588 while contemplating the threatened Spanish invasion, and in the 21st Century Plymouth is a hub for nuclear-powered submarines.
Visiting Osman Yousefzada’s new exhibition in Plymouth just over a week after Donald Trump was elected President of the United States for a second time, a day after the announcement that Elon Musk will play a part in Trump’s newly formed ‘Department of Government Efficiency’, feels eerily poignant. For a bust of Musk takes centre stage in Yousefzada’s exhibition along with sculpted portraits of fellow power players Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg crafted in the classical style of busts portraying Roman Emperors.
