Mirror IV - Legacy

Mirror IV: Legacy explores the dynamics of inherited memories of violence, through the performances of six young Rwandan actors, belonging to the post-Genocide generation. It was originally presented as part of the Empathy and Risk project at the 4th Edition of the Ubumuntu Festival in July 2018.

Proposed as a process-based intervention to a well-established museum, a cultural festival and a contemporary political impasse, Mirror IV was created in conjunction with a range of interdisciplinary partners and as the centre of a series of related events. The project engaged young actors working collaboratively with a common script authored by Cotterrell and the theatre director, Ruwanthie de Chickera. The actors worked together to rehearse the script, but were subject to individual interviews with Cotterrell to outline their contrasting character and role concepts. The resulting installation was installed in the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.

It formed the basis for convening of two interdisciplinary public panel debates in collaboration with British Council and the Genocide Memorial Museum.

The artwork was retained as a permanent addition to the genocide memorial centre and has since also been exhibited at The Performance and Conflict Conference at Lincoln University and Deptford X, London. The installation was installed at the Royal Academy of Arts as part of the Alternate Languages exhibition and at the BFI Southbank for Creative Interruptions, Festival of Arts and Activism.

This format of arts-led engagement with policy development has now been adopted as a central component the annual Ubumuntu festival cultural programme.