Saturday, 22 February 2025 Contact us

You are Currently viewing Past Events, Click here to see upcoming 2025 Events

Go to 2025 Events
Samson-kambalu
Samson Kambalu

The Jive Talker: Or How to get a British Passport

Samson Kambalu Interviewed by Claire Armitstead

Saturday, 25 March 2023

6:00pm

1 hour

Oxford Martin School: Seminar Room

£7 - £12.50

Artist Samson Kambalu talks about his life and work that has seen him go from Malawi to teaching in Oxford and creating a new bronze sculpture, Antelope, that was installed on Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth in September.

Kambalu describes a childhood in Malawi that was rich in books and philosophy but short on money. And he explains how an artistic and ambitious young man growing up in Malawi was able to find his way to Britain, exhibit across the world, and create an iconic statue for Trafalgar Square.

‘An African memoir unlike any other I have read . . . Filled with wonder, humour and hope.’ Aminatta Forna

Kambalu lives and works in Oxford. He is an associate professor of fine art and director of research at the Ruskin School of Art and a fellow at Magdalen College. He has exhibited across the world including at contemporary art festivals in Dakar, Liverpool and Venice. Here he talks to Claire Armitstead, associate editor culture for the Guardian. She presents the weekly Guardian books podcast and is a regular commentator on radio and at live events.

This event is part of the festival’s programme of African literature and culture.

University of Oxford European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London elBullifoundation Embassy of Peru Embassy of Peru
 

The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London elBullifoundation Embassy of Peru Embassy of Peru Embassy of Chile in the UK Embassy of Chile Iberia British Airways Embassy of the Dominican Republic Embassy of the Dominican Republic Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Sotheby’s Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Compassion in World Farming Pasture to Plate Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Gravita Accountants to the festival Confucius Institute Voltaire Foundation Felicity Bryan Associates Goldmoney Properties Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Jim Mellon Miles Young Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Ian and Carol Sellars David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Other donors Yale University Press London New College New College founded 1379 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Harris Manchester College Harris Manchester College founded 1893 Pusey House Founded 1884 New Dutch Writing Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford University Images Oxford University Images CAV Oxford The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Science Oxford Windrush Group The Oxford Times BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Conference Oxford Ox in a Box OX magazine