history – The Cultural Exposé

The British Library’s West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song exhibition is all kinds of amazing

Matilda — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 08:35:15 +0000

Someone should have warned me that you can’t really do a quick sweep around the British Library’s new exhibition dedicated to the history of West Africa. It’s a whole day job that might involve packing some snacks because there’s alot to take in (and justifiably so). The history of a single African country (let’s say Nigeria) is comprehensive in itself – but this impressive show takes on the noble task of focussing on the region’s 17 nations over a thousand year time span. The sum of that is over 200 manuscripts, books, sound and film recordings, artworks, masks and colourful textiles that never fail to engage or provoke discussion. Highlights include:

A Fela Kuti music room
A range of cloths printed with messages, proverbs and symbolic meanings
Musical instruments such as atumpan ‘talking drums’ and a akonting from Gambia, believed to be a predecessor of the banjo
A carnival costume newly designed by Brixton-based artist Ray Mahabir, based on the tradition of Bele, a drum dance and song closely linked to Caribbean history, struggle, freedom and celebration
Textiles and music dedicated to Chinua Achebe
A presentation of works by authors Wole Soyinka, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Sefi Atta
A display celebrating the Nollywood film industry

So if there was ever a question about the significance of Africa to the development of culture and civilisation, this exhibition is a metaphorical bomb drop. Prepare to be enlightened.

West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song runs until 16th February 2016. Entry is £10. For more information visit www.bl.uk/events/west-africa-word-symbol-song.

Carnival costume designed by Ray Mahabir of Sunshine International Arts in 2015, based on Bele or Bel Air, a drum dance and song closely linked to Caribbean history, struggle, freedom and celebration. On display in West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song, photographed by Toby Keane.

Manuscript culture in Timbuktu in 2007 by photographer Alexandra Huddleston, on display in West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song © Alexandra Huddleston.

Fela Kuti photographed by Bernard Matussière, reproduced by kind permission of Knitting Factory Records for West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song.

The post The British Library’s West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song exhibition is all kinds of amazing appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.

Somewhere you should go… I Have a Dream: Architects of Our Republic at Southbank Centre

Matilda — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 10:00:12 +0000

It was on August, 28th 1963 that civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr shared his vision for the future while marching to Washington DC to demand equality for all. 50 years on, his I Have A Dream speech remains one of the most stirring, historical moments in modern history, especially as it would come a year before the Civil Rights Act was passed, outlawing all types of discrimination in the US. Since then, King’s address has continued to inspire around the globe and a number of events will be held on Wednesday, August 28th to celebrate its impact on its 50th anniversary. The likes of Charlie Dark, Zena Edwards and Malika Booker will be part of an incredible line-up of contemporary artists who will descend on The Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall to honour the speech through spoken word, music and film. There will also be a chance to learn protest and freedom songs at Voicelab’s Sing Freedom! workshop and sing them during a march from Jubilee Gardens to Queen’s Walk – but the main highlight of the event will be a rare yet welcome appearance from the legendary Last Poets, who rose to prominence during the civil rights movement. It’s set to be an inspiring day and evening where art celebrates history, so for more info, visit: www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/i-have-a-dream-architects-of-our-republic-78235

The post Somewhere you should go… I Have a Dream: Architects of Our Republic at Southbank Centre appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.

Something you should see… Salute

Laura Thornley — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:00:38 +0000

You’ll be hard pushed to find a more iconic image than the photograph of the black power salute at the 1968 Olympics. It has become an image that epitomises a century of civil rights, politicised youth and defiance against archaic laws. But this new feature documentary by Matt Norman highlights a part of the image that you may not have previously noticed: the third Olympian in the image. Australian Peter Norman – Matt’s uncle – won silver that day but never competed in athletics for his country again, just like African-Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Why? because he was complicit in the politics on the podium.

The doc follows the road to the Mexico City Olympic games and the events that surrounded that fateful year. Working with a variety of found footage and interviews Norman has created a tense and emotional doc that makes for compelling viewing. It provides a great insight into the history of the time (for any of us who missed the details first time round) addressing reasons why the young athletes chose to act and the bravery it took to stand up at that moment – with innumerable sniper rifles around the stadium.

Their solidarity that day and Norman’s support for his fellow athletes stayed with the civil rights movement until his recent death. The documentary paints a genuinely heartwarming image of camaraderie, in the face of such horror elsewhere. With the Olympics around the corner it couldn’t be released at a more opportune moment so it’s a must see if you have any doubts about what sportsmen can do for the world. (Words: Laura Thornley)

Salute is on general release July 13th.

The post Something you should see… Salute appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.

Something you should do…London Duck Tours

Matilda — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:00:12 +0000

Should I be ashamed that I’ve lived in London for nearly 13 years with very limited historical knowledge about my beloved town? Probably. Well in an attempt to rectify such wrongs – and with some inspiration from an upcoming London dating site – I tried out a London Duck Tour, a sightseeing experience that takes you around the capital by road (and river).

On this particular jaunt, I was joined by Peter – a companion who was recommended to me via Doingsomething.co.uk – a site for sociable Londoners looking to break the ice with an urban adventure – and we met on York Road before setting off on the 75 minute trip.

As we passed notable landmarks such as Cleopatra’s needle (which is rumoured to be cursed), Waterloo Bridge (aka the Lady’s Bridge as it was built by an all-female workforce), our tour guide Luke shared plenty of quirky facts – and it was quite interesting finding out how the Sweeney Todd stories came about while driving past Fleet Street, discovering you can get a certificate if you climb up and down all 311 steps of the Monument building and learning that when Charlie Chaplin was 12, he checked his mum into an insane asylum, now the site of the Imperial War Museum.

The fun part, of course, when driving in a vehicle that hailed back to World War 2 and could swim (like a duck!) as good as it drives – and as we descended into the Thames off the Embankment, it was incredible to see how close we were to the river, while getting another incredible view of the capita, and passing sights like the M16 building (pictured below).

Peter and I agreed it was great fun all around and almost ended too soon – always a sign of a great experience. So for more info, visit www.londonducktours.co.uk

This experience was courtesy of Doingsomething.co.uk – The new site that’s taking the awkward out of online dating

The post Something you should do…London Duck Tours appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.

Something You Should See… The Grand Entrance Tunnel

Lucy Palmer — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:00:12 +0000

What were you doing in your 20s? If you were like me, it involved uni, pubs and dreaming of travelling the world. If you were the great Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1826 you were building the world’s first underwater tunnel under our lil Thames.

Upon its completion, it was considered a wonder of the age and attracted thousands of visitors to London and while it is no longer open, the entrance to Brunel’s tunnel is in Rotherhide, handily next door to Brunel’s museum where you can learn more about the great man and his work.

But to really get a taste of his legacy you need to join the tour of The Grand Entrance hall. Not for the claustrophobic or very tall, you must crouch and crawl to fit through the tiny entrance, then negotiate the steep steps to descend into the chamber where helpful fairy lights and chairs await you to make your visit more comfortable. Inside you’re treated to the history of the tunnel including the clever inventions Brunel came up with to complete his work, to the more grim side of how many men’s lives it claimed in its building.

But it’s worth seeing and hearing all about an important piece of London history hidden underground which was only recently opened to the public. Available Tuesday evening and Sunday mornings – for more info, click here… (Words: Lucy Palmer)

The post Something You Should See… The Grand Entrance Tunnel appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.

Somewhere You Should Go… Dennis Severs’ House

The Cultural Exposé — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:20 +0000

Just around the corner from one of London’s busiest modern day transport hubs sits a quiet house in a stately street. The old lantern outside the door hints at what lies inside: an historical time capsule that is worlds away from Liverpool Street’s hustle and bustle. Behind its doors, 18 Folgate Street holds an imaginative still-life drama without any visible actors – except for the resident black cat.
Dennis Severs, a Californian obsessed with English history, moved into the property in 1979 and set about restoring each of the ten rooms to represent a different historical period, from the 1700s to the early 20th century. Three generations of the fictitious Jervis family are woven through the portraits and armchairs, bedspreads and knick-knacks that litter the place. But this is not a museum, and its contents aren’t preserved with glass cases or placards. This is a lived in house, whose inhabitants have supposedly just left the room, and their presence can be felt throughout a visit there.

Payment is taken on the doorstep, along with a finger to the lips and a heartfelt request to be as quiet as possible. Once inside, the candlelight reveals steaming teapots, freshly sliced boiled eggs, half eaten bread on the kitchen table. Tiptoeing past rumpled sheets in the bedrooms and ducking under wet washing hung across the stairwell gives the strong impression you’re trespassing in someone else’s home, but frankly its too fascinating to feel guilty. As the family’s wealth rises and falls throughout the centuries, the quality of their lifestyle changes too; moving further into the house introduces peeling wallpaper, thinner carpets and an accumulation of dust and cobwebs.

The scent of cloves and oranges, the flickering candlelight and an array of background sounds guide your senses in building an image of the unseen inhabitants’ lives, from the clothes they wear to the letters they’ve written. If you’ve ever imagined yourself stepping into a painting, this is the place to experience it for real. (Words: Flora Baker, Pics: Roelof Bakker)

The museum opens every Sunday afternoon & Monday lunchtime and costs £10. For more info, visit www.dennissevershouse.co.uk

The post Somewhere You Should Go… Dennis Severs’ House appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.

Somewhere you should go…This Is Design @ the Design Museum

Laura Thornley — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:00:01 +0000

If you need a heads up on how the British have made the world a better place with innovative thinking, then the Design Museum has just the ticket. Their new exhibition, This is Design, takes a journey through the earliest mass-produced British design to the newest in contemporary handmade stuffs. Made up of their own personal collection, all pieces have been receiving some quality TLC for the past five years and now are ready for the world again.

Divided into categories such as Identity, Manufacturing Innovations, the Digital Revolution and Lifecycle, the exhibition promises a more philosophical look at how design shapes our lives and helps us interact with objects around us. It will also look at how the smallest of accidental design can impact us so hugely. The pieces included range from furniture, road signs, even replica buildings designed by Sir Norman Foster and of course, the archetypal British Mini.

If the first thing that springs to mind when you hear British design is a Sinclair C5 then this should make for the perfect re-education this summer. (Words: Laura Thornley)

This Is Design opens on August 24 until January 22, 2012. For more info, visit: www.designmuseum.org

The post Somewhere you should go…This Is Design @ the Design Museum appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.

Something you should see…The First Grader

The Cultural Exposé — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:00:34 +0000

This incredible film is based on the true story of Maruge (Oliver Litondo); a man in his eighties who, after the Kenyan government announces free education for all, joins a primary school classroom so that he can learn how to read and write. Maruge and school principal Jane Obinchu (Naomie Harris) face heated and even violent opposition from those who believe that the opportunity for education is wasted on such an old man. But Maruge refuses to allow his age to define him – and his battle for the right to education is made even more inspiring when the film delves into his past. As a Mau Mau tribesman, Maruge was imprisoned for refusing to collaborate with British colonial rule and here, the film deals with some hard-hitting issues about Kenya and Britain’s history. However, the film focuses on the triumph of the human spirit, not within one person, but across several generations and is an absolute must-see.

Director Justin Chadwick fought for this film to be shot in Kenya. He claimed there is an unbelievable, inexplicable energy inherent in the people that he could only capture in the country – and it’s this energy, this spirit – that is the real star of The First Grader. (Words: Beth Downey)

In cinemas from June 24th.

The post Something you should see…The First Grader appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.