John Akomfrah: Listening All Night To The Rain

The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza and TBA21–Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary present “Listening All Night to the Rain”, a new exhibition by John Akomfrah, specially conceived for the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. The British artist of Ghanaian origin reimagines his most ambitious and experimental work to date, originally commissioned for the British Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale.

The exhibition takes its title from an 11th-century poem by the Chinese writer Su Dongpo, composed during his political exile, in which the author reflects on the transitory nature of life. Through a series of immersive, multi-channel film and sound installations, Akomfrah continues his exploration of postcolonialism, ecology, and aesthetics, with a particular focus on the sonic.

In these installations, bodies of water act as connective tissue linking the broad and complex geopolitical narratives he presents. By layering archival material and employing theatrical stagings, Akomfrah reflects on memory and monumentality. The work unfolds as a kind of manifesto, inviting listening as a form of activism.