Liverpool and the Black Atlantic facts for kids
Liverpool and the Black Atlantic was a special series of art shows and events held across the city of Liverpool in 2010. It was started by Tate Liverpool and aimed to explore the links between different cultures and continents, especially those around the Atlantic Ocean.
From January to April 2010, many art galleries and museums in Liverpool took part. These included Tate Liverpool, Bluecoat Chambers, Metal, FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology), the Walker Art Gallery, International Slavery Museum, and Sudley House. Each place had its own exhibitions and public events that focused on the "Black Atlantic" theme.
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Understanding the Black Atlantic
The idea of the "Black Atlantic" comes from a book by Paul Gilroy. He used this term to describe how different black cultures from around the Atlantic Ocean mixed with other cultures. It's like the Atlantic Ocean wasn't just a big gap, but a busy network connecting places like Africa, North America, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe. This idea helps us see how artists traveled and shared ideas, and how black cultures influenced art from the early 1900s until today.
Art at Tate Liverpool
The main exhibition at Tate Liverpool was called Afro Modern: Journeys through the Black Atlantic. This show looked at how black artists played a big part in shaping Modernism, which is a style of art from the 20th century. It showed how artists explored their journeys and connections across the Atlantic.
The exhibition featured artworks by many famous artists. Some of these included Romare Bearden, Constantin Brâncuși, Renee Cox, Aaron Douglas, Walker Evans, Ellen Gallagher, David Hammons, Isaac Julien, Wifredo Lam, Ronald Moody, Wangechi Mutu, Chris Ofili, Uche Okeke, Pablo Picasso, Keith Piper, Tracey Rose, and Kara Walker.
Art at the Walker Art Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery presented Aubrey Williams: Atlantic Fire. Aubrey Williams was a painter whose life and art were deeply connected to the Black Atlantic. His work explored big ideas that are important to everyone. This exhibition helped people see Williams as a very important international artist. He often questioned the idea that art had to be either "figurative" (showing real things) or "abstract" (using shapes and colors).
Art at The Bluecoat
At The Bluecoat, the exhibition was Sonia Boyce: Like Love – Part 2. This was an art installation that used different types of media. It looked at universal ideas about caring for others. Sonia Boyce also helped set up other art spaces at The Bluecoat. This was to celebrate her first exhibition there in 1985, called Black Skin/Bluecoat.
Art at FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology)
FACT showed Promised Lands. This was a special performance created by Edward George and Anna Piva. It combined music, spoken words, and images. The show explored the idea of a "promised land" for people who move from one country to another. It looked at how history, imagination, and old stories from five continents over five centuries shaped this experience.
Art at Metal
Metal featured Leo Asemota: The Handmaiden. This art installation was part of Leo Asemota's ongoing project called The Ens Project. It was set up in the old engine room of the historic Edge Hill station. The artwork explored the origins of "The Handmaiden," a special being important to his project, drawing from myth, folklore, and recent contemporary history.
Art at the International Slavery Museum
The International Slavery Museum presented Black Britannia. This exhibition displayed 30 portraits by photographer John Ferguson. It celebrated the many important contributions that Black people have made to British culture and public life over the past few decades.
Art at Sudley House
At Sudley House, the exhibition was Lubaina Himid: Jelly Mould Pavilions. Artist Lubaina Himid used Sudley House as a starting point for a citywide art trail. She hand-painted jelly moulds to create models of possible public monuments. These monuments were designed to remember people from the African Diaspora and celebrate their contributions to the city of Liverpool.
Further Reading
- Afro Modern at Tate Liverpool: Voyage of rediscovery by Jonathan Jones
- Behind the masks: Afro Modern at Tate Britain by Fred D’Aguiar
- Review of Afro Modern by Sam Thorne in Frieze magazine
- In Pictures: Union Black by Amanda Sebestyen
