Cameron Rowland's ICA exhibition critiques slavery's legacies via legal transactions and historical artifacts.

Cameron Rowland's inaugural solo exhibition in the UK at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London features a minimalist display of historical artifacts paired with conceptual legal transactions that challenge the lasting institutional impacts of slavery. Among the pieces are Guineas (2020), a framed two-guinea coin crafted from gold mined in Africa, and Credit, an 18th-century mahogany desk affixed to the wall, sourced from British Caribbean colonies. Pacotille (2020) showcases beads and brass items once used as one-way currency in the slave trade. The exhibition's conceptual foundation includes two legal transactions: Mooring, a year-long lease for a vacant boat mooring at Albert Docks, and Encumbrance, which involves five works where the ICA mortgaged mahogany elements to Rowland's company, decreasing the property's value. Accompanying the exhibition is a footnoted essay asserting that the institutions of slavery were pivotal in shaping the British state, with the 1833 abolition primarily safeguarding the assets of affluent traders. Rowland interprets these bureaucratic actions as symbolic reparations addressing the legal systems that facilitated slavery. The exhibition was held from 29 January to 12 April 2020 at the ICA, situated near Buckingham Palace, emphasizing its connection to royal institutions that profited from colonial practices.