Akanji Studio’s thought-provoking Children of The Sun With Moon Crescent Blood rounds up Camden’s 2024 Black History Season as the exhibition comes to a close at the end of the week.
Swiss Cottage Gallery has been home to Rizzy Akanji’s, the founder of Akanji Studio, collection since the beginning of December, showcasing his sickle cell inspired art work created with AI technology.
This free exhibition is part of the Camden Council‘s Black History Season, with Akanji’s art and poetry display being one of the many remarkable contributions of Black people across the borough.
Cabinet Member for Jobs, Young People and Culture, Councillor Sabrina Francis said: “This exhibition is a powerful addition to the season, inspiring dialogue, fostering understanding, and empowering future generations.
“By shedding light on the challenges faced by the sickle cell community, this exhibition helps us understand how we can work together to address health disparities and create a more equitable future in the borough and beyond.”
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder, affecting the shape of red blood cells which carry oxygen to all parts of the body.
Akanji has used the combination of art and technology in his work to share his own struggle growing up with the disorder and sparked provoking conversations on support and resources for fellow sufferers.
This has been Camden’s fifth Black History Season, having made the decision to extend Black History Month back in 2020.
The borough’s jam-packed season included a whole host of community events and will be retuning in 2025 for more exhibitions, history talks, supper clubs and more!
‘Children of The Sun With Moon Crescent Blood’ is open at the Swiss Cottage Gallery until 16 January.
For more information on sickle cell, visit the NHS website.
Join the discussion