Festivals and Films

The Burial of Emperor Haile Selassie: Photographs by Peter Marlow

From 21 Apr 2010 to 20 Nov 2010

22 April - 21 November 2010. Haile Selassie (1892 - 1975) was Ethiopia's regent from 1916 to 1930 and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Legend has it that his dynasty could be traced back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

When the emperor was buried in 2000 (25 years after his death) British photographer Peter Marlow was one of a select few Western journalists present. His 21 photographs on display in the Pitt Rivers Museum document the unique sending-off ceremony of the man believed by the Rastafarian movement to be a messianic figure who will lead all Africans to a golden age of peace, righteousness and prosperity. As a photographer, Marlow is concerned with challenging the notion of conventional reportage while continuing to stumble upon the unexpected.

Mon: 12.00-16.30 Tues-Sun: 10.00-16.30