Press release relating to an exhibition, 1997
Published by: South London Gallery
Year published: 1997
Unpaginated.

South London Gallery press release for Donald Rodney’s Nine Night in Eldorado 10 September - 12 October 1997. Extracts as follows: “Donald Rodney is showing five new pieces of work at the South London Gallery in his first solo exhibition in the capital since 1989. [this was incorrect, as Rodney’s previous solo exhibition in London had been “Cataract“ at Camerawork in 1991].

He first came to the attention of the art world in the 1980s, and his work has been seen widely outside London both nationally and internationally. Venues have including the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, the Arnolfini in Bristol, the international TSWA Four Cities Project (1990), the Institute of Contemporary Art (London and New York) (sic) the Chisenhale Gallery and the Barbican.

“Nine Night in Eldorado marks an important stage in the development of his work. The exhibition contains new installation, sculpture and photographic pieces, and has a more meditative quality than his earlier work. The artist has suffered from sickle-cell anaemia from infancy. His physical condition is present in his work as a metaphor for issues of society and cultural identity.” Followed by other information relating to the exhibition, including a reference to Keith Piper’s (You are now entering) Mau Mau country, cited as the first work “by a black artist of a new generation” bought by the Arts Council Collection.