Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom
16 Feb 2015 - 24 May 2015
Al Vandenberg, 'Untitled', about 1975-80, from the series 'On a Good Day', printed 2010, gelatin silver print. Museum no. E.427-2010. Given in part by Al Vandenberg and Eric Franck. © Al Vandenberg
Staying Power: Photographs of Black British Experience 1950s-1990s is a project to increase the number of black British photographers and images of black Britain in the V&A collection. It aims to raise awareness of the contribution of black Britons to British culture and society, as well as to the art of photography.
This display showcases a variety of photographic responses to black British experience from the 1950s to the 1990s. All of the photographs are from the V&A Collection and were acquired as part of the project Staying Power: Photographs of Black British Experience 1950s-1990s, a collaboration with Black Cultural Archives funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Black Cultural Archives promotes education about the cultural identity and history of people of African and African-Caribbean descent in Britain. A concurrent exhibition, also drawn from the V&A’s Staying Power collection, will be on view at the organisation’s heritage centre from 15 January 2015.
About the Project
Staying Power: Photographs of Black British Experience 1950s-1990s is a project to increase the number of black British photographers and images of black Britain in the V&A collection. It aims to raise awareness of the contribution of black Britons to British culture and society, as well as to the art of photography.
Photographs collected by the Museum will be used to generate oral histories. There are plans for the photographs and oral history testimonies, from photographers and community members, to be jointly exhibited at the V&A and Black Cultural Archives (BCA) in its new building in Brixton. The five-year project is a partnership between the V&A and the BCA. It is funded largely by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Black Cultural Archives
Black Cultural Archives (BCA) was founded in 1981 as a grassroots community and voluntary organisation. BCA promotes education about the cultural identity and history of people of African and African-Caribbean descent in Britain. It aims to become the leading national institution dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating the histories of black people in the UK.
BCA’s archive collection includes rare historic documents, oral histories, photographs, and as well as a unique collection of periodicals and independently published material. BCA operated from a shop front location in the centre of Brixton, South London for its first 20 years. It is currently working to open the UK’s first Black heritage centre, which will house its archive, library, learning and exhibition spaces.
