After taking time to process all that has been happening of late (as I mentioned in last month’s post), I was compelled this month, after hearing of the latest news and protests rightfully commanding the taking down of Colonial/Slave linked statues in the UK, to consider what statues I would like to see as their replacements. For too long, Black history has been denied, suppressed and overlooked in the UK. At school, ‘Black History’ was briskly defined as being that of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade; even that was romantically glossed over in the textbooks, which simply illustrated black people shackled on ships, while omitting any real detail about the crimes, injustices and exploitative roles of Colonial powers and slave owners. While I remember it being in R.E. class that we learnt, again, very little about racism and the modern Black experience. Even when we did, it was portrayed in the context of the United States and the Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s, while Black Britain was left untouched.
So recalling on the little institutional access I got to my own history growing up, and the ongoing lack of mainstream access, representation and acknowledgement Black people have today, my answer to the question of ‘what would I want to see instead?’, resulted in me creating a new body of artwork entitled ‘Stand With Solidarity. Stand With Pride’. These portraits showcase new statues that imbue empowerment; celebrating our contributions as Black people - past, present and future. They are affirmative, bold, powerful, inspiring and rousing. And hopefully one day, this imagery won’t just be a product of my own imagination, but in fact tangible real life statues that positively commemorate the Black experience in a way that the majority of statues in the Western world haven’t so far.
Until that day, to those who live the struggle and understand the struggle, this art series is for you. Stand With Solidarity. Stand With Pride.
