John Akomfrah's The Hour Of The Dog Comes to The Menil

The Menil Collection in Houston presents "John Akomfrah: The Hour Of The Dog," a new video installation by the British artist and filmmaker. The work, which was co-commissioned by the Baltimore Museum of Art where it had its premiere last year, focuses on Civil Rights-era activism. It is due to go on view in Texas on April 24, and will run through October 11.

Akomfrah is best known for his explorations of memory, history, and post-colonialism, using video installation and photography to address racial oppression and resistance. His career, which began with the Black Audio Film Collective, frequently recontextualizes archival footage to construct narratives concerning social and political movements.

"The Hour Of The Dog" continues Akomfrah's engagement with historical events and their contemporary resonances. The installation examines the complexities of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s, offering a reflection on its legacy and ongoing relevance.

The artist says: "Activism is not confined to what happens in the streets; it's bound up with who and how we remember, who and how we mourn, and how we dream forward."

The work is co-curated by Michelle White, senior curator, The Menil Collection, and Cecilia Wichmann, curator and department head of contemporary art at the Baltimore Museum of Art with Oscar Flores-Montero, a curatorial assistant.