Art / News
Bristol art gallery to display Tapestry of Black Britons
The Tapestry of Black Britons, a multi-participant artwork aiming to elevate Black British history, is going on display in Bristol for the first time having been woven by a specialist team in St Philip’s.
Echoing the Bayeux Tapestry and incorporating Kente cloth weaving and Caribbean textiles, The Tapestry of Black Britons features individual woven panels of portraits, historical moments and more.
Woven by the team at Dash & Miller on Barton Road in St Philip’s and curated by Paula Ogun Hector, the tapestry will be on show at the Arnolfini.
‘East African Pioneers’ (1943) on the loom as part of the Tapestry of Black Britons – photo: Dash & Miller
The artwork hopes to addresses gaps in British history and draw attention to more than 1,500 years of Black presence; exploring the African and Caribbean contribution to Britain from the Romans onwards,
When it comes to the Arnolfini in May, the panels on display will highlight the often-overlooked contributions of Black British, Caribbean and African service members to the war effort during the Second World War.
A spokesperson said: “The exhibition creates space for diasporic imagination while showcasing the latest in digital design, believing in the power of storytelling to uplift and transform communities while fostering a deeper understanding of our collective history…
“The Tapestry of Black Britons believes in the power of storytelling to uplift and transform communities, striving to foster a deeper understanding of our collective history.”
The Tapestry of Black Britons will be on display at the Arnolfini from May 9 to June 29. For more information, visit www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/tapestryofblackbritons
Main photo: Doreen Gittens, photo byPaula Ogun Hector
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