The Decolonising the Curriculum Collective is hosting an event themed Imagining a Decolonial Utopia, an exhibition intended to disrupt colonial structures through artistic expressions and we want your contributions!

This exhibition will take place on the 23rd  of July 2021 at the City Campus, Edward Street, University of Brighton. The exhibition aims to celebrate the artistic expression of Black, Brown and minority ethnic creatives whereby their expression is not confined to the remit of struggle that is commonplace in our experiences. This exhibition offers creatives the opportunity to explore the richness of their cultural heritage and its influence in their artistic expression.

Program:

16:00 –17:00 Doors open: Installations and film screening

 

Photography by Isis Boundy

Prints by Abiba Funge-Smith

Films:

BOXED by Najma Yusufi

 

Boxed is a short film that explores the complexities of Hybridity. As a “pure” concept, Britishness has been challenged by the demise of the Empire. In today’s world Britishness is a highly contested concept with Brexit raising further questions about the sense of belonging.

 

BLM by BeKuto wa Sirya a.k.a. Anthony Kalume “Tony”
17:00 – 17:10 Welcome address by Mia Henderson
17:10 – 17:50 Keynote and Q&A by Subira Joy

 

Subira Joy is a defiantly queer, unapologetically Black spoken word poet and activist. Their work weaves together the personal and political, experiences and imaginations, spoken with rage, softness, laughter, vulnerability and swearing. Witness patience at its end, queerness in its multitudes, and blackness at its fullness. Subira has created and performed two solo shows: Subira (performed at the Marlborough Theatre and won ONCA’s Green Curtain Award at 2018’s Brighton Fringe) and Coffee and Cream (performed at ONCA earlier this year). https://onca.org.uk/2020/01/06/artists-in-residence-subirajoy-and-

wandia-nduku/
17:50 – 18:00 ‘Kill the cop in my head’ by Subira Joy

 

Subira Joy explores the impact of police and how we internalise their role to become our own repressors. Combining striking visual imagery with powerful language, this work exposes how we impede our liberation when confronted by our inner cop.

Content warnings: references to police violence, sexual violence, racism.
18:00-18:05 Decolonised Rhymes – Aflo the poet

AFLO. is a Brighton-based spoken word artist and scholar-activist. AFLO.

uses poetry to express her lived experiences and to challenge dominant narratives.
18:05 – 18:30 Decolonial poetics in practice with scholar-activists Alaa Maygi and Aflo the poet, in conversation with Mia Henderson

 

In this short film, the three poets and activists discuss the importance of putting decolonisation into practice through unconventional means. This discussion acknowledges decolonisation as more than an abstract concept, but the core of knowledge of ourselves and our

people.
18:30- 19:00 Intermission + Refreshments
19:00- 19:15 Music:

“The Oxygen of Our Attention” by Stuart Taylor and Paul Stoney, Decol.Hub/Ldn.

 

Paul Stoney is a Systemic Constellator and the Chair of the International Systemic Constellations Association (ISCA). He is a founding member of Constellation Workshops, a team of Constellators that has been providing affordable access to Constellations work for over 12 years in London and since 2020 online. Stuart Taylor is also a Systemic Constellator, a Leadership and Organisational Development consultant and published writer.

Since 2020 he has been a member of the Constellation Workshops team.
19:15-19:35 ‘The case of Shamia Begum’ – with Fatima Aqiil, student and activist, in conversation with Zilan Ceren
19:35-19:37 ‘Rebirth’ -by Eva Chacole

 

In this spoken word piece, Eva explores the liminal space between childhood and adulthood in an exploration of generational healing via

the undoing of ancestral trauma
19:37- 19:50 ‘Environmental activism in a Decolonial Utopia’ with Isabel Lucio Firme Pinto, Student and Environmental Activist – in conversation with Zilan Ceren
19:50-19:55 ‘Steppingstones’ by Mia Henderson

This spoken word piece muses on African folklore as a storytelling tradition that binds and heals Black diasporic communities.
19:55 – 20:00 Closing Remarks – Vy Rajapillai and Vedrana Velickovic

 

 

 

 

 

You can find the detailed call for participation below.

Please use this link to submit your proposal.

IMAGINING A DECOLONIAL UTOPIA
EVENT AND EXHIBITION

Call for Black and Brown creatives:
The Decolonising the Curriculum Collective is hosting an event entitled
Imagining a Decolonial Utopia. We are looking for creatives to contribute to this
exhibit intended to disrupt colonial structures through artistic
expressions.
This exhibition will take place on Friday 23rd July. The
exhibition aims to celebrate the artistic expression of Black, Brown and
minority ethnic creatives whereby their expression is not confined to the
remit of struggle that is commonplace in our experiences. This exhibition
offers creatives the opportunity to explore the richness of their cultural
heritage and its influence on their artistic expression

Brief:
The exhibition is inspired by the sixth core principle of Kwanza or Nguzo Saba: Kuumba which translates to creativity from Swahili. On Kuumba, the founder Dr Maulana Karanga stated,

“Creativity means to perform acts that leave our community more
beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.”

Creatives submitting their artform could take inspiration from the above quote and may explore themes such as, but not limited to;

  • Afrofuturism,
  • Imagination,
  • creative restoration,
  • creativity as generational healing and/or community building

Deadline: 12th July 23:59

How to submit your proposal for participation:

Please use this link to submit your proposal.

To be accepted for this exhibition, creatives must be Black, Brown or a member of a minority ethnic group, regardless of what generation of migrant diaspora you are. You do not have to have done your study or have qualifications in your form of creative expression. For example, you do not have to have studied film, or photography to submit a film/visual art. There are no limitations on your genre of artistic
expression, we will accept visual art, photography, poetry, spoken word, music, short films/visuals, and hybrids of these genres.

We look forward to your proposals.
-The DeCol Collective

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