The Atlantic Trade & Identity at the Britih Museum
22 February 2007 - 10 January 2008
The Fabric of a Nation | La Bouche du Roi | Resistance and Remembrance |
The Caribbean before Columbus | Inhuman Traffic
The Atlantic Trade & Identity season features a series of exhibitions, displays and events exploring transatlantic trade and its relationship to slavery, resistance and diasporas.
There is also a variety of Atlantic Trade & Identity events marked in the What's on calendar of the British Museum's website.
The Fabric of a Nation: textiles and identity in modern Ghana
Room 3
This display of wax-printed cloths illustrates the importance of textiles in Ghanaian society as Ghana celebrates 50 years of independence (6 March 1957). These beautiful fabrics play an integral role in many aspects of daily life such as ceremonies, politics and religion, and are a significant part of Ghana's economy.Admission free
22 February - 10 April 2007
La Bouche du Roi: an artwork by Romuald Hazoumé
Room 35
La Bouche du Roi was created between 1997 and 2005 by Romuald Hazoumé, an artist from the Republic of Bénin, West Africa. Literally translated as ‘The Mouth of the King', the title refers to a place in Bénin from where many thousands of slaves were transported to the Americas and the Caribbean. However, La Bouche du Roi is primarily a warning against all kinds of human greed, exploitation and enslavement, both historical and contemporary. A profound and thought-provoking artistic statement by Beninese artist Romuald Hazoumé, it is made from a combination of materials, including petrol cans, spices, and audio and visual elements, the artwork's arrangement recalls the famous 18th-century print of the slave ship, the Brookes, which was used to great effect by Abolitionists.
A recitation of Yoruba, Mahi and Wémé names, the terrible sounds and smells of a slave ship, and a video of black market petrol-runners in modern Bénin are other elements which combine to make La Bouche du Roi a truly remarkable and thought-provoking work of art in which the connections between past, present and future are made profoundly real.
Supported by The Art Fund and the British Museum Friends
Admission free
22 March - 13 May 2007
Resistance and Remembrance
14.00-18.30, free to all
Join us at the British Museum to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Parliamentary Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
"Resistance and Remembrance is a day to remember the past, to live in the present, to look toward the future." Bonnie Greer, Trustee, British Museum
14.00-18.30 Programme
The afternoon will feature a wide range of events and activities including:
· The Brodsky Quartet playing in the BP Lecture Theatre
· Simon Schama reading from his book Rough Crossings
· Romuald Hazoumé talks about his artwork La Bouche du Roi
· Storytelling with Beyonder and H Patten
· Bonnie Greer and Tony Sewell in discussion
Click here for the full programme
There will also be space for the quiet contemplation and remembrance of the achievements of Africans, the African diaspora, and those everywhere, past and present, involved in the resistance against slavery in all its forms.
The day will culminate in a Ceremony of Remembrance, featuring the telecast of a special message from Nelson Mandela. The ceremony will also feature a choral performance, short readings and testimonies from a variety of guest speakers. Hosted by Colin McFarlane, the ceremony will include contributions by among others, Diran Adebayo, Kwame Kwei Armah, Shaheera Asante, Jean Binta Breeze, Bonnie Greer, Fergal Keane, Kofi Mawuli Klu, David Lammy MP, Mike Phillips, Trevor Phillips, Hugh Quarshie, Wole Soyinka and Baroness Lola Young.
In association with the Royal African Society, Rendezvous of Victory, Pan-Afrikan Youth and Students Internationalist Link (PAYSIL) and National Union of Students - Black Students Campaign (NUS-BSC). Film programme in partnership with the London Borough of Camden.
Resistance and Remembrance is free and is open to all
Sunday 25 March 14.00 - 18.30
The Caribbean before Columbus
Room 3
This exhibition introduces a selection of rare objects sculpted in wood by Taino artisans who were the original inhabitants of much of the Caribbean. Taino culture (AD 1000-1520) predates the voyages of Columbus by several hundred years and The Caribbean before Columbus offers a glimpse into a vibrant society that was nearly completely eclipsed by European contact and its aftermath.
Admission free
3 May - 17 June 2007
Inhuman Traffic: The Business of the Slave Trade
Room 69a
This small exhibition explores how the Transatlantic Slave Trade functioned. It covers more than 500 years, including the Parliamentary Abolition of the Slave Trade in 1807, and features resistance leaders including Toussaint l'Ouverture, Olaudah Equiano and Nanny of the Maroons, and their continuing legacy of the struggle to end enslavement.
Admission free
24 May 2007 - 10 January 2008
