Ufuoma Essi

“We carry history in the body”, says Ufuoma Essi, an artist based in southeast London. Observing how official archives elevate some narratives while silencing others, Essi reclaims space for Black life and memory through film. Drawing on personal recollection, found footage, and the work of Black feminist thinkers, she expands the notion of the archive—rooting it in lived experience.

At Proyectos, Essi presents two recent works shot on Super 8mm film. “Half Memory” (2024) responds to Toni Morrison’s concept of “rememory”—the resurfacing of repressed experiences through involuntary recall. “Bodies in Dissent” (2021) explores performance as a vessel for memory, layering archival footage of dancer Loretta Abbott with concert audio by Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln.

Together, these films reflect Essi’s belief that history lives within us—passed on through bodies, across generations, and across the Atlantic.