A decade ago, artist Alessandra Ferrini sat in front of her laptop and watched for the first time the 1980 movie Lion of the Desert. Despite being funded by former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's government, the movie opened up a window for Alessandra to understand the colonial history of Italy. [Image courtesy of the artist] The work of Alessandra Ferrini [Image courtesy of the artist] Alessandra’s work can be seen in Totalitarian Props between 23 June-14 July 2023 at the Africa Centre in London. [Image courtesy of the artist] Alessandra Ferrini [Image courtesy of the artist]In the video, images of Al-Mukhtar's capture and execution are seen, but never clearly. In her video work, the artist analyses the language that has been used by both political leaders and how it echoes today's racist discourses on migration.
