• Studying
      Here
      • Chat with a Magdalen student
      • As an Undergraduate
        • Courses We Offer
        • Joint Schools
        • How to Apply
        • Information for applicants 2021/22
        • Freshers – 2022
        • Funding Your Course
        • Choral Scholars
        • Open Days and Visits
        • International Students
        • Visiting Students
        • Commonly Asked Questions
      • As a Graduate
        • Application Process
        • Selection Criteria
        • Clinical Medicine
        • Funding Your Course
        • Scholarships and Awards
        • Visiting Students
      • Second BA
      • Outreach
        • Schools Event Booking Form
        • Virtual Events
        • Virtual Humanities BAME Study Day 2022
        • Next Steps South Yorkshire
        • Law at Magdalen Programme
        • Outreach Resources
    • Living
      Here
      • As an Undergraduate
      • As a Graduate
      • Environment
      • Student Life
      • Student Profiles
        • Adam, Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE)
        • Amy, History
        • Betsy, Jurisprudence with Legal Studies in Europe
        • Catrin, Human Sciences
        • Eleanor, French and Linguistics
        • Nadia, Medicine
        • Parth, Biochemistry
        • Ryan, English
        • Seb, Music
      • Catering
      • Magdalen College Welfare Support
      • Information for care-experienced students
      • Societies
        • The Florio Society
        • The Atkin Society
        • The Sherrington Society
        • The Magdalen College Trust
          • Accomodation
      • Glossary
    • Discover
      Magdalen
      • College History
        • The College Buildings
        • The 43 Presidents
        • Famous Alumni
        • Nobel Laureates
        • Conversation Pieces
      • Research at Magdalen
      • Visiting Magdalen
      • News
      • B&B Room Reservation
      • Shop
    • People at
      Magdalen
    • Chapel
      & Choir
      • The Chapel
        • Chapel Services
        • Chapel People
        • Sunday Addresses and Sermons
        • Learning and Fellowship
        • Some Magdalen Sermons
        • The Organ of Magdalen College
      • The Choir
      • Choir Recordings
      • Services and Music List
    • Library
      & Archives
      • COVID-19: Information for Library Users
        • Library Click and Collect
        • Borrowing books whilst self-isolating
      • Libraries
        • New Library & St. Swithun’s Library
        • SOLO (Library catalogue)
        • History of Magdalen College Libraries
      • Archives
        • About the Archives
        • Access to the Archives
        • Online Catalogues
        • Hogarth – Lawrence – Wilson Projects
        • Magdalen Hall
        • Magdalen College School
      • Library & Archives Contact Details
      • Conservation
        • The Medieval Title Deeds Project
        • The Conservation of the Daubeny Library
        • The Conservation and Preservation of Greek Manuscripts at Magdalen College
      • Online Exhibitions
      • Illuminating Magdalen
      • Library & Archive News
    • Alumni
      & Friends
      • Alumni Area
        – Log in
      • Useful Information
      • Alumni News
      • Alumni Events
        • Webinar Recordings
      • Supporting Magdalen
        • Making a Gift (UK)
        • Making a Gift (Outside UK)
        • Giving in your Will
        • Fundraising Priorities
        • Recognising Your Support
      • Involving our Alumni
      • Publications
        • Publications Archive
      • Development and Alumni Relations Office Team
      • Social Media Hub
    • Conferences
      & Events
      • Magdalen News and Events
      • Residential Conferences
      • Day meetings
      • Private Dining
        • Sample Menus
    Home > Samson Kambalu exhibition open! Fractured Mission: The Library and the Making of Antelope
    • An unbroken tradition of learning since 1458
    • Engaging environment for study and friends
    • Welcoming students from all backgrounds
    • Building on excellence
    • A warm community
    • Academic and athletic experiences
    • A community of enquiry and discovery
    • An environment for growth
    • Nurturing arts and culture

    Samson Kambalu exhibition open! Fractured Mission: The Library and the Making of Antelope

    Fractured Mission: The Library and the Making of Antelope

    Curated by Samson Kambalu, Fellow of Magdalen College and associate professor of the Ruskin School of Art, and Lucy Gwynn, College Librarian, Magdalen College

    This exhibition brings together Kambalu’s preparatory studies for Antelope, his sculpture recently commissioned for a place on the ‘fourth plinth’ in Trafalgar Square, with books from the artist’s library on Malawi’s history, John Chilembwe, and the Chilembwe Uprising of 1915.  Antelope restages a photograph of pan-Africanist and Baptist preacher John Chilembwe (1871-1915) with John Chorley, a white European missionary.  Today Chilembwe is seen as the founding hero of the Malawi nation thanks to the unifying effect of his unsuccessful uprising. 

    At Magdalen, the clay pieces of his preparatory models for Antelope are positioned with photographs chronicling his work on the sculpture and with reproductions of the demolition of Chilembwe’s mission church after the uprising.  These fragments speak to the fracturing of Chilembwe’s legacy but also resonate with the philosophy of Nyau masking that informs Kambalu’s art.

    The exhibition makes a striking intervention in the medieval space of Magdalen’s Old Library, a fifteenth-century room containing nearly 20,000 historic volumes.  The library is, itself, made up of fragments, books as incomplete objects damaged and excised by time.  Situating Kambalu’s research library of Malawiana within this space highlights the ongoing marginalisation of the history of Malawi by academic publishers.  The Old Library, by contrast, represents the Western canon at its most venerated – a canon that provided the intellectual framework for imperial expansion and oppression. MaquetteSmall

    Tickets can be booked for our Wednesday afternoon openings on Eventbrite: https://fractured-mission.eventbrite.co.uk. 

    Please note that the exhibition is free, but that Magdalen College charges an entrance fee to some visitors. The fee is as follows:

    Adults £8; Over 65s, children, students £7; Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children aged 7 or over) £25.

    The following are admitted free of charge:

    • Children under 7 years of age
    • Potential applicants and their families
    • Pathway to Success participants and a small number of guests
    • Those who live locally, or who hold an Oxford University card, an OUP card, or alumnus card can come in with up to one guest

    Payment will be by card only, no cash. More information on visiting the college, including travel information and accessibility, can be found here.

    Access: The Old Library is accessed via a steep flight of stairs. There is disabled access via a lift, but please contact us in advance so that we can arrange this for you. Many thanks.

    Libraries & Archives
    Magdalen's Libraries
    • Longwall Library
    • SOLO (Library catalogue)
    • History of Magdalen College Libraries
    • Library Accessibility Guide
    Archives
    • About the Archives
    • Access to the Archives
    • Online Catalogues
    • Hogarth – Lawrence – Wilson Projects
    • Magdalen Hall
    • Magdalen College School
    Library & Archives Contact Details
    Conservation
    • The Medieval Title Deeds Project
    • The Conservation of the Daubeny Library
    • The Conservation and Preservation of Greek Manuscripts at Magdalen College
    Illuminating Magdalen
    Library & Archive News
    Online Exhibitions
    Follow us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter

    Recent News

    09 May 2022

    From the classroom to the archive: a new partnership between Magdalen’s Library and Archives and the University of Bristol

    We are delighted to announce that a new partnership has been signed between Magdalen College Library and Archives and the University of Bristol. Beginning in the...

    29 Apr 2022

    New Exhibition! Marginalised histories: experiences of people of colour within Magdalen’s past

    Marginalised histories: experiences of people of colour within Magdalen’s past Curated by Elisabeth...

    05 Oct 2021

    Samson Kambalu exhibition open! Fractured Mission: The Library and the Making of Antelope

    Fractured Mission: The Library and the Making of Antelope Curated by Samson Kambalu, Fellow...

    BUILDING OUR FUTURE: Magdalen's Campaign to raise £7.5m to redevelop the New Library How you can help

    Connect with us

    Get in touch

    Magdalen College
    Oxford
    OX1 4AU
    United Kingdom

    T: +44 (0)1865 276000

    Contact us

    Media Enquiries

    Job Vacancies

    Find us

    • Studying
      Here

      • Chat with a Magdalen student
      • As an Undergraduate
      • As a Graduate
      • Second BA
      • Outreach
    • Living
      Here

      • As an Undergraduate
      • As a Graduate
      • Environment
      • Student Life
      • Student Profiles
      • Catering
      • Magdalen College Welfare Support
      • Information for care-experienced students
      • Societies
      • Glossary
    • Discover
      Magdalen

      • College History
      • Research at Magdalen
      • Visiting Magdalen
      • News
      • B&B Room Reservation
      • Shop
    • People at
      Magdalen

    • Chapel
      & Choir

      • The Chapel
      • The Choir
      • Choir Recordings
      • Services and Music List
    • Library
      & Archives

      • COVID-19: Information for Library Users
      • Libraries
      • Archives
      • Library & Archives Contact Details
      • Conservation
      • Online Exhibitions
      • Illuminating Magdalen
      • Library & Archive News
    • Alumni
      & Friends

      • Alumni Area
        – Log in
      • Useful Information
      • Alumni News
      • Alumni Events
      • Supporting Magdalen
      • Involving our Alumni
      • Publications
      • Development and Alumni Relations Office Team
      • Social Media Hub
    • Conferences
      & Events

      • Magdalen News and Events
      • Residential Conferences
      • Day meetings
      • Private Dining
  • Copyright © Magdalen College, Oxford 2022 | Equality | Other policies | Strategic Plan | Internal Pages | Gender Pay Gap Magdalen College is a Registered Charity, No.1142149
    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We will assume that you are ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy