Chekii: What inspired the ‘Hail the New Prophets’ project? 

Harold: Afrofuturism, which is a cultural movement that looks at the future possibilities for black culture; it’s intertwined with sci-fi and utopian societies. In the past few years, there’s been a huge resurgence of Afrofuturism in music, literature and art.

I’m continually inspired by Sun Ra, a jazz musician from the 1950s who rejected his given name and [proclaimed] he came from Saturn. He led the musical collective The Arkestra, and, in 1972, there was a film made about his life, titled Space is the Place. It’s a hybrid film: a 1970s transportation story and an extended music video. It’s super-kitsch! Sun Ra lands on a spaceship in Oakland, which was home to The Black Panther Party, who were a 1960s racial activist group. 
 

Chekii: How has your interest in Sun Ra influenced the piece you’re creating at Bold Tendencies? 

Harold: Sun Ra was a priest-like figure, a future thinker. I’m recreating Sun Ra’s mothership, which looks like a crazy yellow eyeball but is more than a sculpture – it’s an interactive call to action, hence the name ‘Hail the New Prophets’. I’m using Sun Ra’s spaceship as a way to invite people to join in, speculate and think about alternative realities. He was a product of the racist trauma he experienced during the social unrest in 30s and 40s America. ‘Hail the New Prophets’ is an opportunity for everyone to project their view of the future. The project is intergenerational; I want a broad section of people to submit creative responses – from music to drawings and videos. 

Chekii: How do you plan to display these mixed-media submissions in your sculptural re-creation of Sun Ra’s mothership? 

Harold: We’re going to combine the sound submissions and create tracks that will feature a mix of poetry, spoken word and music, while the images submitted may be screened or offset in the space. There is also an opportunity to use social media to display all the different contributions. I’m keen to have the chosen submissions fully present on the site for people to engage with. 

Chekii: How would you define Afrofuturism? 

Harold: It was coined by a writer called Mark Dery in the early 90s. So much of black culture has been linked into narratives of oppression and subjugation. Afrofuturism allows for engagement with technology and the formulation of a different future. It represents a degree of freedom. 

Chekii: How did you come to know about Bold Tendencies? 

Harold: I have always been aware of what Bold does, from visiting over the years and seeing the transformation of the roof through different commissions. I have lots of friends who live in south London and Bold Tendencies is often a gathering point. At the very top of the car park, you can see west, you can see east, but you don’t have to pay like you do when going up the London Eye or The Shard. When you’re on the top of the Bold Tendencies car park, you have a sense of ownership over the ever-evolving skyline.