Rasheed Araeen: For Oluwale

Rasheed Araeen presented his work For Oluwale II for the first time in Leeds, marking the 50th anniversary of David Oluwale’s death.

The work responded to the death of David Oluwale, a British-Nigerian who drowned in the River Aire on 18 April 1969 after being systematically harassed by members of the Leeds City Police force. Araeen was shocked and deeply moved after reading about Oluwale’s death in 1971, and decided to make a work dedicated to his story, marking a politicised shift in Araeen’s practice, who previously was creating predominantly abstract artworks.

For more information and images visit: https://yorkshirecontemporary.org/exhibition/for-oluwale/

Image: Yorkshire Contemporary