Chantal Akerman in London

This essay tracks the development and production of a series of interconnected projects revolving around the work of Chantal Akerman between 2013 and 2016 in London involving retrospective screenings, in-person presentations, symposiums, a major exhibition, an international conference, and a publication currently in production. This Akerman project, which grew spontaneously, was initiated by A Nos Amours (curators and filmmakers Adam Roberts and Joanna Hogg), who presented an exhaustive retrospective of Akerman’s film and video works over a two-year period between 2013 and 2015; Ambika P3, who presented a major exhibition, Chantal Akerman: NOW (2015); the conference “After Chantal” organized by the Centre for Research and Education in Arts and Media at the University of Westminster in 2016; and the upcoming publication dedicated to Akerman by the Moving Image Review and Art Journal. This essay aims to reveal the collaborative nature of the working processes behind this project and the organic manner in which it developed as well as the challenges it posed at a critical time in the artists’ lives. In its totality the project and indeed its process, with its multiplicity of outputs and the collaborative dedication of the partners, has become a fitting testament to the strength of the work of Chantal Akerman.