There’s no dearth of information on how the years between 1914 and 1918 reshaped the world. The Great War, as it was called then, is memorialised across the Western world. Yet hidden within this chapter of history is a forgotten story of resilience, sacrifice and heroism. A history that was never told, a perspective never recognised, because the people who experienced it weren’t seen as people. 

Millions of African, Indian and other colonial soldiers answered the call to arms in 1914. Their journeys stretched across continents. Wrenched from their homes, from the plains of Africa, from the humid shores of India, and from other colonised nations, they were pushed straight into the rain-soaked trenches of the war in Europe. Western powers such as Britain and France drew approximately two million Africans into the conflict, with an estimated one in ten losing their lives. The Indian Army contributed over a million troops, serving in all major theatres of war. 

Altogether, more than four million African and Asian men were mobilised into the armies of Europe and America during the war. They were part of every single aspect of the conflict, from actual fighting to essential support roles, including transporting supplies, building infrastructure, serving as labourers, and performing duties that kept the war effort operational.

John Akomfrah’s Mimesis: African Soldier is a step toward preserving the legacy of these forgotten men, reminding us that the Great War was not just a European struggle but a global effort, with herculean participation from people across the world. Projected across three screens that shift between different perspectives, walking into this immersive world is like stepping into a living memory, one woven together with powerful, visceral imagery.

The visuals unfold like fragments of a story, each scene a window into the lives and sacrifices of those WWI soldiers. Akomfrah blends archival footage with newly filmed visuals, creating a striking contrast that brings moments of the war to life while offering a profound insight into its emotional and psychological toll. He bridges past and present, allowing us to experience the weight and texture of history.

Across three screens with shifting images and perspectives, we see figures gazing out at the vastness of the sea or over an endless landscape, their expressions heavy with questions of destiny. The flags of their occupiers surround them (the ones they were simultaneously battling against and fighting for), fluttering like silent witnesses almost mocking their journeys. These are paired with pictures, blurred by the steady flow of water, evoking memories that refuse to remain static. 

A young African man stares at his empty village, as if for the first time wondering what was won. A turbaned Indian man bows his head and folds his hands in greeting his wife, now a stranger. Another screen contrasts this with the visuals of soldiers marching, while the visceral sounds of cannons bring the war to life, contrasting with the deadened, isolating sounds of the colonial soldiers’ homecoming. The men often stand alone with their backs to us, staring out at sprawling views, by the sea, in forests, and in meadows. Skeletons appear at their feet or blown across the branches of trees surrounding them; stark reminders of the ultimate cost, its weight almost tangible. 

Through it all, you experience a rude awakening, a confrontation with forgotten truths and unacknowledged sacrifices. The visuals of Mimesis: African Soldier take the audience through the trenches of history, immersing us in its sorrow and resilience, its despair and fleeting hope. This is a journey that leaves you feeling haunted and shaken, still hearing the echoes of those who endured so much, so far from home, only to be erased. 

John Akomfrah: Mimesis – African Soldier, Gallery Of Modern Art, Glasgow, until Sunday 31 August.