On December 6, 2023, the Artwork Gallery of Ontario (AGO) welcomed the groundbreaking exhibition “Life Between Islands: Caribbean-British Artwork, Nineteen Fifties-Now.” This distinctive showcase, hailed by The Occasions as “extremely evocative” and praised by the UK Guardian as “exhilarating, mighty, and tender,” is making its North American debut in Toronto. The exhibition highlights the profound affect of Caribbean artwork and thought on British artwork historical past over seven many years, shedding gentle on the creativity and resilience of over 30 Black British artists.
Curated by David A. Bailey, Director and Inventive Director of the Worldwide Curators Discussion board, and Alex Farquharson, Director of Tate Britain, “Life Between Islands” at AGO is curated by Julie Crooks, the Curator of Arts of World Africa and the Diaspora. This extraordinary exhibition explores how Caribbean-British artists formed new identities, communities, and cultures in Britain, usually within the face of adversity and discrimination.
The exhibition includes a various vary of paintings, together with movies, installations, textiles, work, and images, created by artists equivalent to Aubrey Williams, Donald Locke, Isaac Julien, and lots of extra. Their work displays the intersections of poetry, movie, activism, and music, showcasing the wealthy tapestry of Caribbean-British creative expression.
In keeping with Julie Crooks, AGO Curator of Arts of World Africa and the Diaspora, “This exhibition invitations us to proceed the conversations the AGO started in 2021 with Fragments of Epic Reminiscence, to share nice artwork usually unseen right here in Canada and to contemplate the extraordinary impression that the Caribbean diaspora has had in Britain and globally. The dimensions, richness, and energy of those artworks defy straightforward categorization and must be seen.”
“Life Between Islands” derives its title from Jamaican-British author Stuart Corridor’s memoir, “Acquainted Stranger: A Life Between Two Islands.” It tells a multi-faceted story in 4 components, dedicating itself to the reminiscence of the influential Trinidadian artist Horace Ové. The exhibition showcases the evolution of Caribbean-British artwork, from the modernist engagements of the ‘Windrush era’ to the activism and cultural reclamation of the Nineteen Seventies and Nineteen Eighties, the resurgence of Carnival, and the political urgency of the Black Arts Motion within the Nineteen Eighties.
Including a singular dimension to the AGO presentation is artist and playwright Michael McMillan’s immersive set up, “The Entrance Room: Inna Toronto/6ix,” which invitations guests to step into the entrance room of a Caribbean immigrant household in suburban Toronto through the Nineteen Eighties.
Guests can delve deeper into the exhibition via the absolutely illustrated hardcover catalogue printed by Tate Britain and an anthology titled “Liberation Begins within the Creativeness: Writings on British Caribbean Artwork” from Tate Publishing and the Worldwide Curators Discussion board.
Admission to “Life Between Islands” is free for AGO Members, Annual Cross holders, guests aged 25 and underneath, and Indigenous Peoples. AGO Members get the primary look beginning December 6, 2023, whereas Annual Cross holders and single ticket patrons can enter from December 8, 2023. The exhibition will run till April 1, 2024.
To have a good time the exhibition’s opening, the AGO will host an all-ages opening get together on December 8, 2023, that includes legendary musician Jazzie B, of Soul II Soul, because the DJ. On December 9, 2023, Jazzie B will have interaction in a dialog with Toronto-based rapper, producer, author, and activist Cadence Weapon.
As a part of AGO’s winter programming, extra talks, screenings, and studio programs associated to the exhibition can be introduced within the coming weeks.
“Life Between Islands: Caribbean-British Artwork, Nineteen Fifties-Now” is organized by AGO and originated by Tate Britain.
This exhibition is generously supported by Contributing Sponsor Appleton Property Rum.
