Taking its title from an Akan Adinkra symbol and name for a double skin talking drum, Dono expands on the artists’ shared interest in sound and communication. A collaboration initiated by curator Jareh Das and Somerset House Studios, and developed in dialogue with one another, Appau Jn Boakye-Yiadom and Harun Morrison consider musical, linguistic and architectural forms of meaning-making, interrogating the boundaries of language.

Dono trials alternative forms of communication, considering the generative potential of repetition, concealment and misunderstanding. The exhibition is treated as a testing ground and rehearsal room, exploring how space and institutional structures shape our language, music and sociality.

The exhibition subsequently informing AGM 2024, at Somerset House (https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/agm-2024).

The evening brings together performances by artists Florence Peake and Eve Stainton, Nina Davies, Violet Savage, Adam Christensen and Sunun alongside work from residents Appau Jnr Boakye-Yiadom, Harun Morrison, Imran Perretta and Noah Bador, plus DJs John T. Gast, i-sha and Studios artist felix taylor.

A cycle of performances will unfold, relay and overlap in the ground floor’s River Rooms. Florence Peake and Eve Stainton present the collaborative movement work Practice 1. This durational performance will see the multi-disciplinary artists slowly navigate the three chambers of the River Rooms whilst interlocked at the crotch. Harun Morrison presents a series of live readings throughout the evening, exploring non-words. These linguistic tools are used by speech therapists to gauge aspects of language acquisition. The artist and writer expands on work currently on display in the G31 Dono exhibition – also open throughout the evening – alongside work by Appau Jnr Boakye-Yiadom.

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/38479