Joy at the Museum
The Arts and social justice organisation ‘Playing The Race Card’ launched their latest exhibition Black Joy! Up Close and Personal at the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery over last weekend (delayed however because of the water emergency). Over 40 talented Black artists from the South East of England feature in this one-of-a-kind display.
Included are artists such as Femi Dawkins, Yeside Linney, and Dorcas Magbadelo. Each piece reflects the resilience, beauty, and the spirit of Black Joy. A counteractive response to the systemic racism and oppression of Black people, ‘Black Joy’ is a term representing the authentic expression of self-love and empowerment within the Black community.
Supported by local arts charity Home Live Art and curated by artist, activist and educator Lorna Hamilton-Brown RCA MBE, the thought- provoking exhibition is showing at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery.
“Black people are not a monolith, so we all experience or express Black Joy in different ways,” says Lorna. “For me, Black Joy is the deliberate act of finding pleasure and happiness in whatever you do despite your situation.”
She continues, “The show features artists at different stages of their careers. Together with the artist’s statement that accompanies the work, the viewer will gain a personal insight into the artist’s thoughts and intentions. I want the viewer to get a sense of the artist’s thought process and feelings without the artist being present.” The exhibition follows the success of Playing The Race Card’s 2022 exhibition.
Local Hastings resident Claudine Eccleston founded Playing The Race Card in 2020, in response to her own experiences. “This exhibition is far-reaching and sparks conversations about race and social justice, using diverse art forms by talented artists. I hope that it will empower change and understanding.”
Black Joy! Up Close and Personal is a heartfelt tribute to Black culture and resistance, with joy as its central theme. The exhibition is complemented by a programme of live events, including performances, workshops, talks and tours until its conclusion on Sunday 25 August 2024.
For more information about the exhibition, visit the Playing The Race Card website at playingtheracecard.co.uk
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Leave a Reply