Call and Response Dinner
2013 Tate Modern, London, UK

Starr Foyer, Level 1
Monday 29 July, 18.30 – 21.00

Commissoned by Tate Modern as part of their Museum Restaurant dinner series, ‘Call and Repsonse Dinner’ invited community groups to create an artwork together in the form of a ‘gathering’ that encouraged a unique kind of dialogue and exchange through a series of calls and responses. The invited guests included: Blackfriars Settlement, Migrant Resource Centre, Open Age, Leaders of Tomorrow, The Peckham Space, and the Helen Bamber Foundation,

Guests were encouraged to add to specially printed placemats to create their own unique gestures and symbols for communication inspired by Ghanian Adrinka symbols. A series of lively activities encouraged guests to develop ‘calls’ (questions, statements, comments etc) with spontaneous ‘responses’ from other guests. Call and Response is a form of communication rooted in African diaspora and other cultures. It often underpins social and cultural interaction, through art, dance and music. Using conventions of West African tribal gathering guests shared food, drink, music, conversation and good times.

The Call and Response dinner has been developed by artist Harold Offeh as part of Meschac Gaba’s Museum of Contemporary African Art on display at Tate Modern.