The Black Experience
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The Black Experience
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Music
Words By: Luc Hinson
Photography: Contributing Artists
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Between Borders sat down with Glenda Gaspard, 19 year old University Student and fist-time exhibition curator. Her premier exhibition, The Black Experience aims to document what it means to be Black in Britain today. The exhibition draws on Glenda's own experiences and passion for art, and the creative power of collaboration to bring you 'The Black Experience'. Read the interview in full to learn more.
And grab your tickets here.
BB: Tell us about the Black Experience what can we expect to see?
GG: Its mainly an art exhibition, there will be over 15 artists,’ exhibiting lots of different art forms. We will also have live music, underground budding performers and DJ sets, you can expect to see a bit of discussion scratching the surfaces to what the black experience means to us. It’s really just a space and platform for people to come together, speak and share experiences and ideas really.
BB: Tell us some more about the 15 creatives, what was the curation process like?
GG: Yeah, it was quite hard, I started looking before I found the space. Initially the space was going to be much smaller but now were in protein studios it meant we could take on more! The curation process is still ongoing, but everyone who reached out to me was perfect for the exhibition!
I’ve tried to get to know the people behind the work a lot more, especially their contexts and narratives behind the work rather than the work itself. I think that’s a lot more important than just having a spectacular looking piece of work. What was really nice as well is that a lot of the people don’t know each other at all, but everyone’s work fits together so well as if we’ve known each other for years.
That’s basically what the black experience is about, us being individuals but being united in our communities in ways we don’t talk about, sharing experienced with people who relate to me; race, gender, age. We have so many similarities based on things that we are powerless over. It’s a way to realise how much we all have in common.
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"Not seeing people who look like you executing what you want to do, it makes you think maybe I’m not qualified to talk about this kind of thing"
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BB: How did it come about, what was the impetuous behind it?
GG: everything I’ve seen in my life so far has led me towards this, I haven’t always been passionate art going to a school in predominantly white area made me not really aware of myself in that space and atmosphere. I took art in school, and being the only black person in my class, I didn’t realise how much of an effect it had on me being a minority until I left, there was a lot of ignorance I had and experienced in respect in that phase. But growing and speaking to people in the same situation, young black girls and realising what we had in common made me want to create something, to discuss this sort of shared experience.
BB: Do you think the BAME communities are less open to sharing their personal narratives?
GG: In a weird way, I don’t think they are less open. But I also don’t think people see opening up as a big deal, for example, for a lot of BAME people whose older relatives were not born here, we see them have a ‘get up and go’ sort of lifestyle, and habits they never stopped to pay attention to - the little things like how you’re feeling you know? As a community, we’re not doing so well at opening up and addressing issues. I think if people understood how beneficial it is to exchange experiences, they would be doing it more. Having platforms like this, where people can say ‘wow she’s going through what I’m going through’ hopefully will make people more willing to open up. .
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BB: Is Blackness sufficiently represented in mainstream art?
GG: There are artists that represent us, but the spaces for black people/black artists to thrive and do well is small compared to non-black artists. In mainstream galleries and exhibitions, we are definitely underrepresented. My awareness of this began in school when I realised my art teachers would always come out with one stock answer – one black artist that they would incessantly recommend to me regardless of how the course of my interests changed. Black people are excelling but some how,vwe don’t see enough of them in the mainstream galleries. Not seeing people who look like you executing what you want to do, it makes you think maybe I’m not qualified to talk about this kind of thing.
BB: What does Blackness mean to you?
GG: unapologetic, powerful and fearless
If my blackness wasn’t visible from my skin how would people see me? My culture, being from Ghana has impacted every decision I make and will make in my life, especially my artwork. I’m very heavily influenced by African art and culture. My blackness is how my life has been carved out. I was even writing this for my Uni work yesterday and to me its the balance between being born into a culture and being placed into a culture. Even though I was born in Britain and inherited my culture, my Blackness is innate and also a journey I’m navigating – its in my blood but still I’m learning more and more about what constitutes it everyday.
BB: When and where is it?
GG: Saturday 8th December
Protein Studios
31 New Inn Yard
EC2A 3EY
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Words by: Luc Hinson, Wednesday 14th November
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