Lemi Fights the Power

Fresh Summer 2010 news about Lemi’s work: Punch Records have put up a free exhibition called Fight the Power centred around the theme of PROTEST, be it about global pressing themes such as corporate exploitation, capitalist brainwashing and the environment or small things affecting each other’s life such as  prices going up or rubbish customer services from your broadband provider… the point is: say something about it, protest! And Lemi’s work fits in perfectly with the theme as it protests against colonial domination raising awareness of racial and social issues in Africa… so make sure you visit the interactive exhibition at the Zellig Eastside in the Custard Factory, Birmingham where you get the chance to make YOUR own protest and click here to see some more pics from the spot.

Also, click here to watch a video of Ammo from Punch Records taking us around the exhibition and giving some more info about the artworks and the aim of the exhibition.

Art’s Own Kind Podcast

We’ve got a brand new, funky fresh podcast made by Folded Wing , featuring interviews from Lemi,  Tony Allen, Rich Medina, Dele Sosimi, Wunmi and Ammo Talwar on the spot at Rich Mix during the first days of the exhibition, so you can get a feel of what the people involved had to say about what was happening around the Art’s Own Kind project, Lemi’s art and the Afrobeat decades and music phenomenon as well.

Listen to the Art’s Own Kind podcast HERE !

The Launch 9th of June

Art’s Own Kind launch on Tuesday evening was a big success: many people came to see Lemi’s art, enjoyed themselves, danced like mad to the Afrobeat played by Rich Medina, Dele Sosimi and Tony Allen’s bands and also got the unique chance of watching Lemi (accompanied on stage by his beautiful ‘angel’ girls) deliver a speech about his art and then talk to him in person.

 Check out Ammo’s original African outfit!

Dele Sosimi, former member of Fela’s band Egypt 80, and his band warmed up the atmosphere, bringing pure Afrobeat vibes.

Rich Medina, NY’s Jump and Funk host, added the bass to the madness back to back with his 16 months old son who already is an Afrobeat initiate, adding to Dele Sosimi’s performance by playing the drumsticks on the speakers right on the rythim!

By the time Tony Allen (former member of Fela’s Afrika 70) became king of the stage everyone was up and dancing, in front of the stage, and also upstairs, where Lemi originals brought from Nigeria were displayed and out for sale on the launch evening only.

It was a great (late) evening and if you were there and took some photos you’d like to share please contact me at: sorana@punch-records.co.uk and I’ll put them up.

Story of the beginning

Ammo Talwar, chief executive of Punch Records, talks about the very birth of the Art’s Own Kind project and the reasons behind running the exhibition:

Thus the story follows  Cynthia’s path, who adds:

The entire team has been working on BASS 09 for the last two years – doing everything from seeing new work created by the African Diaspora here in the UK to checking out existing African festivals across Europe. All of this was with the intention of finding out what’s new and what’s fresh out there, and also finding things that inspire ­us personally.  This is a very important aspect of our ethos, and must be a running thread in any work we produce.