Signs of Empire was produced while the Collective were undergraduates studying Fine Art, Sociology and Psychology at Portsmouth Polytechnic on the South Coast of England. Signs of Empire is the first of a two part 35mm slide-tape text entitled Expeditions.
Expeditions Two was titled Images of Nationality.

From November 1984 to March 1985, BAFC toured Expeditions at art schools, art centres and art galleries throughout England, using a Kodak dissolve unit to sequence images into blocks of narrative.

Although Signs of Empire belongs to the 80s postmodernist moment of scriptovisual appropriation, it is distinguished by its preoccupation with the neoclassical iconography of empire which is reworked according to neo-Constructivist principles of framing and composition. The soundtrack for Signs of Empire combines musique concrete with tape loops of political speech; during performances, it was amplified to create an immersive environment of dread.

Dir. Black Audio Film Collective
(John Akomfrah; Reece Auguis; Edward George; Lina Gopaul; Avril Johnson; David Lawson; Trevor Mathison)

1982-1984, slide tape, sound, colour, 22 mins

Single screen projection, 35mm Kodak tape slide transferred to DVD, audio track
duration: 22min

Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Presented by Tate Members 2008
Reference: T12863
www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/black-audio-film-collective-expeditions-one-signs-of-empire-t12863