V&A Wedgwood Collection and Culture& presents new artwork by Jacqueline Bishop alongside an exciting series of free live events.
A new ceramic artwork, The Keeper of All The Secrets, created by international multimedia artist Jacqueline Bishop, will open on 23rd August at the V&A Wedgwood Collection. The compelling art installation explores the 'Market Woman', a recognisable yet overlooked figure in Caribbean society since the time of slavery.
Culture& and V&A Wedgwood Collection are offering a series of vibrant free events, including talks, poetry, afternoon tea, clay workshops, and activities for young people exploring Staffordshire's histories of slavery and abolition.
The themes illustrated in Jacqueline Bishop's new ceramic work are pertinent to reflecting on Staffordshire's colonial connections, particularly since the exhibition launches on UNESCO's International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
Join us for a series of events, discussions and installations exploring Staffordshire’s histories of slavery and abolition. Launched on UNESCO’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, the programme uses themes from new ceramic work by Jacqueline Bishop to reflect on Staffordshire’s colonial connections. In partnership with Culture&.
23 August to 6 September 2024
Open daily 10am-5pm, free entry
EXHIBITION
A display of new ceramic work by artist Jacqueline Bishop exploring the ‘Market Woman’, a recognisable yet overlooked figure in Caribbean society since the time of slavery. The Keeper of All the Secrets is displayed in the V&A Wedgwood Collection Welcome Space as part of the Time, Space and Empire programme, in partnership with Culture&.
23 August to 3 November 2024
Open daily 10am-5pm, free entry
Culture& is excited to launch Time, Space and Empire, a cross-arts programme exploring the concepts of time, space, and the development of Britain’s sea power during the expansion of its former empire in relation to the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site in Southeast London and the Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Programmes include artist interventions in heritage sites, working with community-led organisations to empower underrepresented audiences, and creating research opportunities for diverse talents. The project will also explore how the colonial economy brought changes to what was consumed and considered to be ‘good taste’.
About the Exhibition
Jacqueline Bishop (b.1971) lives and works between New York and Miami as a writer, academic and international artist. Bishop is originally from Kingston, Jamaica. In addition to her role as a Professor at New York University, Jacqueline Bishop was a 2020 Dora Maar/Brown Foundation Fellow in France; 2008-2009 Fulbright Fellow in Morocco; and 2009-2010 UNESCO/Fulbright Fellow in Paris. She has recently featured in the Fitzwilliam exhibition Black Atlantic, as they acquired her work History at the Dinner Table.
Culture& is an independent arts and education charity formed in 1988 and based in London. Formerly known as Cultural Co-operation, it partners with arts and heritage institutions and artists to develop programmes promoting workforce diversity and expanding audiences. Culture& opens up the arts and heritage sectors through workforce initiatives and public programmes. Time, Space and Empire is a cross-arts programme exploring the concepts of time, space, and the development of Britain’s sea power during the expansion of its former empire in relation to the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site in Southeast London and the Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. More here: https://www.cultureand.org/events/time-space-and-empire/
V&A Wedgwood Collection is a story of 260 years of creativity and industry, of evolving tastes, changing fashions, and manufacturing innovations, told through a unique ceramics collection and UNESCO-recognised archives. With an events and education programme, the V&A Wedgwood Collection is a celebration of craft, community, and commerce, located at the World of Wedgwood in the heart of the Potteries and right beside the working Wedgwood factory.
UNESCO’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is commemorated on 23 August each year. It was first celebrated in a number of countries, in particular in Haiti (23 August 1998) and Gorée Island in Senegal (23 August 1999). This International Day is intended to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all peoples. In accordance with the goals of the intercultural project "The Routes of Enslaved Peoples", it should offer an opportunity for collective consideration of the historical causes, the methods and the consequences of this tragedy and for an analysis of the interactions to which it has given rise between Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean.
More info here: https://www.unesco.org/en/days/slave-trade-remembrance
Past Events
EVENTS AT FUTURE FEST, WORLD OF WEDGWOOD
As part of Time, Space and Empire, take inspiration from Jacqueline Bishop’s work to explore women’s relationship to nature. Experience a short poetry dance film by Cynthia Coady based on the experiences of black and brown women walking in Staffordshire. Take a creative walk with artist Daby Obiechfu and poet Gabriella Gay to collect botanical inspiration to make a cyanotype print on repurposed cotton. There’ll be time for sewing and conversation at the ‘Long Table’. No experience of sewing, embroidery or cyanotype printing needed.
11.30am – 2pm
Free drop-in
Inspired by Jacqueline Bishop’s new ceramic display we’ll use recycled fabric, flora and photo negatives to create a cyanotype print in this drop-in workshop. Explore pattern and composition in this exciting process with artist and milliner Holly Johnson.
Saturday 31 August
10am – 3pm
Free drop-in
Join us for a family drop-in, using creative paper cutting and collage to explore flora and fauna, inspired by Jacqueline Bishop’s ceramics and objects from the V&A Wedgwood Collection. Facilitated by the artist, Emma Price.
Saturday 31 August
10am - 4pm
Free drop-in
CREATIVE EVENT
Please note: this event is at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Hanley.
Join us for drop-in craft and clay activities inspired by the plants decorating artist Jacqueline Bishop’s tea service, The Keeper of All The Secrets. Part of Culture&’s Time, Space and Empire at the V&A Wedgwood Collection. Young People can engage with ‘The Long Table’ themes by sharing what they know and want to know about sugar, tea, plants, pottery, and histories of enslavement and abolition in Staffordshire.
Saturday 24 August
11am-5pm
Potteries Museum and Art Gallery: Entrance and Ceramics Gallery
EVENT
Please note: this event is at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Hanley.
You are invited to take a seat at ‘The Long Table’, a dinner party where conversation is the only course. Based on a concept developed by Lois Weaver, we invite you to reflect on memories and associations of sugar, tea, plants, and pottery. Ask questions and share ideas. Anyone can join in, or watch and listen. Guests at the table include international multimedia artist Jacqueline Bishop and Culture& CEO Dr Errol Francis.
Saturday 24 August
3pm - 4pm
Potteries Museum and Art Gallery: Entrance and Ceramics Gallery
EVENT
Please note: this event is at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Hanley.
Join artist Jacqueline Bishop for a poetry reading with Q&A and lively discussion on the position of black women in Caribbean society explored through her poetry and ceramics. Bishop will be reading from her first collection of poems published in 2006, titled ‘Fauna’, which uses Caribbean flowers as metaphors to explore the lives of enslaved women.
Saturday 24th August
1pm - 2pm
Potteries Museum and Art Gallery: Entrance and Ceramics Gallery
EVENT
A Long Table on Sugar, Tea, Plants and Pottery
In partnership with Culture&, join us for this museum late event celebrating the national launch of Time, Space and Empire. Marking UNESCO’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition you are invited to a stimulating evening of food, art and discussion. Enjoy free Caribbean cuisine from 6pm and be the first to see the display of Jacqueline Bishop’s The Keeper of All the Secrets. At 7pm join the ‘Long Table’ – an interactive dinner party concept developed by Lois Weaver. Ask questions, reflect and share ideas. Guests at the table include international multimedia artist, Jacqueline Bishop.
Opening night - Friday 23 August
6pm - 8pm
This event is Free
