There Are More Of Us | Exhibition Review
TO coincide with Black History Month,
this is 'a series of portraits and narratives capturing the diversity
of genres of some of the artists who represent the Black arts
communities and their respective cultures.'
That PR breeds confidence inasmuch
as it acknowledges that such artists have their own individual
interests and work in disparate media. Indeed, the disparaging
remarks of the media whereby 'black' (small b) is the universal
adjective, are inept. What of the British person born and bred?
Or hyphenates, like British-Caribbean? Or so-called 'others' like
the multitude of foreign nationals or migrant workers from Sub-Saharan
Africa?
So, it's good to see these photographs,
taken by Anthony Jones who has been commissioned by Black Arts
Alliance: a group that does indeed look out for the interests
of Black arts communities - plural, twice over. In technical terms,
Jones has a keen eye for composition and light.
It's straightforward portraiture. But
it could prompt rumination about some of the oldest and more visible
ethnic groups (Cf. the 'invisible' Irish) - giving rise to questions:
Are Black communities still expected to fit in to a society that's
predicated on a Western, white viewpoint?
Credentials
Since the emergence of 'multiculturalism'
as a key concept and term through the 1970s and 1980s, things
are supposed to have improved until today's establishment, the
Beeb, promote their digital spin-off, Radio1Xtra by borrowing
black credentials.
But you could argue that, like the
BBC, the State's response to ethnic groups is to recognises them
only so as to assimilate them into the 'multicultural' society.
Does that quash or encourage diverse cultures?
Tim Birch
There are More of Us is at Urbis
until Sunday, November 24 2002.
Circle
Club, Manchester
