Lauryn Hill Curates Lauren Halsey Commission on Piccadilly Lights for Diaspora Calling! U.K. Debut
On August 5th, London’s famous Piccadilly Circus displayed an animated short by Lauren Halsey for just one night. This special presentation was curated by the talented Ms. Lauryn Hill, known for her work as a rapper and singer-songwriter. It aligned with the U.K. debut of Hill's Diaspora Calling! music and arts festival, which emphasizes themes from the African diaspora. Collaborating with London curator Lisa Anderson, Hill and her former Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean watched the show unfold with the audience. Hill told the Associated Press that "the crowd was captivated," while Jean called it "surreal." This event also marked the 10th anniversary of Diaspora Calling!, which started in April 2016 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.
Key facts
- Lauren Halsey created a site-specific animated film for Piccadilly Lights in London.
- Ms. Lauryn Hill curated the commission, which was shown on August 5th for one night only.
- The commission was timed to the U.K. debut of Hill's Diaspora Calling! festival.
- The film drew on imagery and symbols of the global African diaspora.
- London-based curator Lisa Anderson was involved in realizing the project.
- Hill and Wyclef Jean watched the unveiling from Piccadilly Circus.
- Hill described the crowd as 'captivated'; Jean called the moment 'surreal'.
- Diaspora Calling! marks its 10th anniversary and travels outside the U.S. for the first time.
- The festival was launched in April 2016 at Brooklyn's Kings Theatre with a gallery co-curated with MoCADA.
Entities
Artists
- Lauren Halsey
- Ms. Lauryn Hill
- Wyclef Jean
Institutions
- Piccadilly Lights
- Diaspora Calling!
- MoCADA
- Kings Theatre
- Associated Press
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Piccadilly Circus
- Brooklyn
- United States
Sources
- Artsy —