Larry Achiampong explores the legacy of colonialism through poetry and field recordings in new sound piece

Capturing the sounds of water in both Jamestown and the Royal Docks.

Artist Larry Achiampong has unveiled a new site-specific and online sound piece, called Sanko-time, for London’s first dedicated public art walk, The Line.

The piece takes its title from the Ghanaian Twi word Sankofa, roughly translated by The Line as ‘to go back for what has been left behind’.

Exploring Britain’s colonial legacy, Sanko-time brings together oral histories from the Museum of London’s sound collection, field recordings from London and Accra, drum loops by the late Tony Allen, and recordings from workshops with school children.

Capturing the sounds of water in both Jamestown and the Royal Docks, Achiampong sees water as “the connecting thread amongst all of this … That connecting point in the line also reveals itself to histories that perhaps are not really spoken as much about.”

The site-specific piece has been designed to accompany the 20-minute round trip on the Emirates Air Line cable car from Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks, encouraging listeners to reflect on the historical context of the River Thames.

Head here for more info and to listen to Sanko-time in full.