{"id":54126,"date":"2024-03-04T17:10:55","date_gmt":"2024-03-04T17:10:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/?p=54126"},"modified":"2024-03-04T16:41:38","modified_gmt":"2024-03-04T16:41:38","slug":"artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway","title":{"rendered":"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. <\/strong><\/span>Tim Lee worked with indigenous communities in Gambia, but always felt drawn back to issues concerning African migrants who die in their numbers trying to reach Europe.<\/b><\/p>\n

As migration continues to become a major issue in Africa and the world, artist Tim Lee started working on a painting dubbed \u2018Migrant Ship \u2013 despair of the dead and drowning\u2019 that would illustrate how young die on the Mediterranean Sea attempting to reach Europe.<\/p>\n

The artwork, like a cascade of thousands of ribbons, straps and materials of different colours, depicts the real stories migrants face on their journey to Europe.<\/p>\n

Explaining the reason behind the adventure in a Standard exclusive, Tim Lee said: \u201cIt is based on JMW Turner\u2019s painting titled \u2018Slavers throwing overboard the dead and dying\u2019 which was first exhibited at the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1840.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turner was an anti-slavery campaigner and abolitionist. Whilst Turner\u2019s painting was heavily criticised at the time it has since become one of his most famous works and has subsequently been titled \u2018Slave Ship\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn short, it struck me as to how similar the movements of migrants are now, to the movements of slaves 200 years ago, whether voluntary or involuntary.<\/p>\n

As an annual visitor to The Gambia for the last 40 years I have met so many young people who have attempted the \u2018Backway\u2019 journey, some have failed, some succeeded, some still suffering, some still missing, it seemed that this was an appropriate way of conveying part of the reality facing those who undertake the \u2018Backway\u2019 journey. Not that there aren\u2019t equally horrific experiences almost every step of the way before ever boarding on an inflatable boat,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Just last year, Tim added, \u201cI was on a small beach in Bakau when one of the drowned boys washed up on the shore in front of my very eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked whether he thinks his painting will make a difference, \u201cNo, I doubt it very much. Perhaps it might raise an eyebrow here and there, raise a few issues about a desperate situation, make a few people think about it all. Who knows, perhaps a trafficker might even have a troubled conscience.\u201d<\/p>\n

On whether he does his painting in The Gambia, Tim said: \u201cYes, mostly, I started it before leaving but finished it in Farato and Janjanbureh very near the old slaving post. It\u2019s quite a small board canvas as it had to fit inside my canvas suitcase. I would have entered it for the same exhibition that Turner did, but the R.A. public exhibition became oversubscribed before the deadline and I wanted to paint it here before the deadline. I wanted to paint it here in The Gambia. I will enter it for the Royal Scottish Academy exhibition and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

He thanked Fatou and Wassa Kassama who open their compound doors to him every year as part of their family and allow him to sit painting for three months. \u201cI really must mention \u2018Perfect Stitches\u2019 in Bundung who have made 700 school uniforms for me in connection with some Direct Aid Projects. And also, to a young Gambian with whom I co-wrote an account of his heartbreaking tortuous \u2018Backway\u2019 journey,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Gambia<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. Tim Lee worked with indigenous communities in Gambia, but always felt drawn back to issues concerning African migrants who die in their numbers trying to reach Europe. As migration continues to become a major issue in Africa and the world, artist Tim Lee started working on a painting dubbed \u2018Migrant Ship \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":54125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12],"tags":[2355,2361,260],"class_list":["post-54126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-gambia","tag-gambia"],"yoast_head":"\nArtist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019 - Gambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tim Lee worked with indigenous communities in Gambia, but always felt drawn back to issues concerning African migrant ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tim Lee worked with indigenous communities in Gambia, but always felt drawn back to issues concerning African migrant ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gambia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-03-04T17:10:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1629\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1083\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-04T17:10:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway\"},\"wordCount\":554,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Africa Press\",\"Africa Press-Gambia\",\"Gambia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway\",\"name\":\"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019 - Gambia\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-04T17:10:55+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"description\":\"Tim Lee worked with indigenous communities in Gambia, but always felt drawn back to issues concerning African migrant ...\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg\",\"width\":1629,\"height\":1083,\"caption\":\"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/\",\"name\":\"Gambia\",\"description\":\"Just another Africa News Agency Sites site\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\",\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7417380fa9e23b5c57fdbfdaf3fdf92ee478f759a084addda5faa3732853e74a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7417380fa9e23b5c57fdbfdaf3fdf92ee478f759a084addda5faa3732853e74a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"cfeditoren\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019 - Gambia","description":"Tim Lee worked with indigenous communities in Gambia, but always felt drawn back to issues concerning African migrant ...","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019","og_description":"Tim Lee worked with indigenous communities in Gambia, but always felt drawn back to issues concerning African migrant ...","og_url":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway","og_site_name":"Gambia","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa","article_published_time":"2024-03-04T17:10:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1629,"height":1083,"url":"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"cfeditoren","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"cfeditoren","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway"},"author":{"name":"cfeditoren","@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb"},"headline":"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019","datePublished":"2024-03-04T17:10:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway"},"wordCount":554,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg","keywords":["Africa Press","Africa Press-Gambia","Gambia"],"articleSection":["all news","policy"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway","url":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway","name":"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019 - Gambia","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg","datePublished":"2024-03-04T17:10:55+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb"},"description":"Tim Lee worked with indigenous communities in Gambia, but always felt drawn back to issues concerning African migrant ...","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2024\/03\/sm_1709557740.273111.jpg","width":1629,"height":1083,"caption":"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/artist-speaks-on-epic-painting-illustrating-african-migrants-dying-on-backway#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Artist speaks on epic painting illustrating African migrants dying on \u2018backway\u2019"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/","name":"Gambia","description":"Just another Africa News Agency Sites site","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb","name":"cfeditoren","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7417380fa9e23b5c57fdbfdaf3fdf92ee478f759a084addda5faa3732853e74a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7417380fa9e23b5c57fdbfdaf3fdf92ee478f759a084addda5faa3732853e74a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"cfeditoren"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/84"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54126"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54126\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}