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All Flesh is Good: Madinah Farhannah Thompson in conversation with Valerie Uchechukwu Ebuwa

In 2023, Madinah Farhannah Thompson was a Black Artist in Residence in LADA’s Study Room. At the same time, she was ‘re-performing’ in the Marina Abramović retrospective at the Royal Academy in London.  

This experience influenced her to think about spectatorship and the objectification and fetishisation of the Black female body. Madinah’s Study Room research looked at this racial trauma, its impact on the body and what it means to share that with a majority white audience.

Madinah has invited fellow Black female re-performer Valerie Uchechukwu Ebuwa for an in-person conversation about Madinah’s Study Room research and their experience of performing at the Abramović exhibition.

Madinah Farhannah Thompson

Madinah Farhannah Thompson is a Norfolk-based visual artist and writer whose work challenges the pervasive misrepresentation of Black female bodies within Western societies. She aims to disrupt and deconstruct harmful stereotypes that uphold white supremacy, using her art to navigate these limiting narratives. Madinah received a Distinction in MA Performance Making at Goldsmiths, University of London and graduated with first class honours in BA Fine Art from The Cass School of Art (London Metropolitan University). She has exhibited and performed at venues such as the Mall Galleries, Royal Academy, and Southbank Centre. Her film Saliva & Tears/Underneath You was awarded the Ingram Prize in 2020. IG: @madinahfarhannah

Madinah Farhannah Thompson sat laughing with her hand on her chest. She is next to a projector, wearing glasses and a pink hooded top that is covered in love hearts Madinah Farhannah Thompson - Image by Joshua Tarn

Valerie Uchechukwu Ebuwa

Valerie Uchechukwu Ebuwa is a choreographer, dance artist, activist, writer, model and mediator based in London. Valerie started her training at Lewisham College before obtaining a BA (Hons) degree from London Contemporary Dance School. Amongst others, she’s recently worked with Clod Ensemble, Jamie xx, Marina Abramović, The Opera Story, and she performed for the opening of the London Festival of Architecture at Brixton Market Row. As a maker, she has choreographed and created ValUE, a multimedia project exploring the history of the Black female body. Valerie writes for I am Hip-Hop magazine, a printed and online publication championing Hip-Hop culture. Her work has been featured in Crack Magazine, i-D, Glass Magazine, The Earth Issue, and Stylist magazine. IG: @valerie_ebuwa 



A portrait of Valerie Uchechukwu Ebuwa, wearing a pastel suit and a t-shirt Valerie Uchechukwu Ebuwa - Image by Holly Whittaker

Access Info

LADA and The Garrett Centre are wheelchair accessible by lift and provide gender inclusive bathrooms.


Should you have any particular access requirements, please email [email protected] and we will be happy to offer further support.

Banner image credit:

Madinah Farhannah Thompson re-performs ‘Nude with Skeleton, 2002/2005/2023’ at the Royal Academy of Arts. Image credit David Parry / Royal Academy of Arts

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