Exodus by Zak Ové now open at London Museum Docklands

The powerful installation exploring migration and human experience is on display in the museum’s new Reflections Room until 25 May 2025.

View of installation Exodus by Zak Ové. Zak Ové. ©London Museum. © Zak Ové / London Museum

London Museum Docklands has opened its new display space, The Reflections Room, which aims to explore human experiences and emotions connected to the city’s history. The first exhibition in this space, Exodus, by British-Caribbean artist Zak Ové, is now on display and free to visit until 25 May 2025. This mixed media installation will also be acquired by the museum and added to its permanent collection following the exhibition.

Exodus focuses on the theme of migration, using a gridlocked cityscape filled with toy cars, trucks, and human figurines, juxtaposed with towering wildlife such as elephants and giraffes. Resting on Castrol oil drums, the piece reflects on the intersection of multinational business and migration, highlighting the challenges of population movements throughout history. The work also invites viewers to contemplate current discussions around migration.

View of installation Exodus by Zak Ové. Zak Ové. ©London Museum. © Zak Ové / London Museum

Accompanying the installation is a wall of historic maps that offer a visual sense of migration, agricultural trade, and tourism between 1500 and 2005. Jean-Francois Manicom, Senior Curator at London Museum Docklands, notes that The Reflections Room is designed to bring new voices to the museum, with Exodus offering a powerful reflection on migration in London’s ongoing story.

Date: 29 Nov 2024- 25 May 2025. Location: London Museum Docklands ,No 1, West India Quay, Hertsmere Rd, London E14 4AL. Price: Free.