About the event
From President Obama to Archbishop Desmond Tutu: artist Nicola Green explores how power, leadership and art intersect
Saïd Business School hosted a new art exhibition as part of its Art at Oxford Saïd series.
A Witness to Power, a retrospective exhibition of works by the artist and social historian Nicola Green was displayed at the School, University of Oxford from the 9th October to the 20th December 2019.
Curated by Lizzie Collins of the Zuleika Gallery in association with Hollandridge Group, the exhibition encompassed over fifty works, and brought together two of Green’s critically acclaimed series for the first time: In Seven Days… (2010) and Encounters (2018).
When creating these two bodies of work the artist gained remarkable access to both President Barack Obama and the world’s most pre-eminent religious leaders including Pope Francis, The Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu.
Green was determined to be a witness to these events, driven by her belief in the capacity of the visual image to communicate important human stories. Through this, her gaze explores the myriad ways in which power, leadership and art intersect.
A Witness to Power raises important questions about identity and the perception of difference; to inspire others with this story of cross-cultural dialogue.
In Seven Days… was produced from Green’s experience as a first-hand witness to Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. She created a series of seven large-scale silkscreen prints which capture the significance of President Obama’s campaign and its importance in the long trajectory of history.
