Black Chronicles II Exhibition Brochure

PR ESE NTE D I N PARTN E R SH I P WITH AUTOG RAPH AB P

SPELMAN COLLEGE MUSEUM OF FINE ART

29 JANUARY – 14 MAY 2016

BLACK CHRONICLES II

Albert Jonas and John Xiniwe, London Stereoscopic Company, 1891.

Courtesy of Š Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, which emphasizes art by and about women of the African Diaspora, was established in the fall of 1996.

It is pleased to present Black Chronicles II as a prelude to its 20th Anniversary celebration.

PR ESE NTE D I N PARTN E R SH I P WITH AUTOG RAPH AB P

SPELMAN COLLEGE MUSEUM OF FINE ART

29 JANUARY – 14 MAY 2016

BLACK CHRONICLES II

Curated by Renée Mussai and Mark Sealy The curatorial premise of Black Chronicles II is to open up critical enquiry into the archive, continue the debate around black subjectivity, examine the ideological conditions in which such photographs were produced and the purpose they serve as agents of communication. At the heart of the exhibition is the desire to re-constitute the archive and enable the writing of different photographic histories.

– Curators’ Note Unidentified sitter, Redruth,1860s.

Courtesy of Autograph ABP collection.

The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art is proud to present the Southeast debut of Black Chronicles II, a critically acclaimed exhibition that explores the presence of black subjects in Victorian Britain through the prism of late 19th century studio portraiture. This exhibition, which is organized by Autograph ABP, features more than 100 modern and vintage photographs taken in commercial studios across Britain during the Victorian era.

Black Chronicles II is developed through original research in the holdings of national archives and several private collections in the United Kingdom and in collaboration with the Hulton Archive, a division of Getty Images. It includes a stunning mix of rare and mostly never-seen images of both ordinary and prominent citizens, as well as visitors.

J.P.L Davies and Sarah Forbes Bonetta, London 1872.

Courtesy of Š Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

The invention of photography in 1839 and the gaining popularity of portraits introduced a powerful way to capture a sitter’s likeness and mood. However, black people in Britain are generally absent from early photographic histories.

While their images have historically been overlooked, under-researched, or simply not recognized as significant, they are intimately linked to larger examinations of black representation and cultural history today.

By excavating the Hulton Archive, and relevant private collections, Black Chronicles II identifies an intriguing selection of photographs—a majority seen for the first time in public—to critically address the question of ‘absence’ in Britain’s historical and visual records.

Unidentified sitter, Edinburgh, c.1900.

Courtesy of Val Wilmer collection.

A highlight of the exhibition is a newly rediscovered series of exquisitely rendered large-scale photographic portraits from the Hulton Archive’s London Stereoscopic Collection, featuring more than 30 portraits of The African Choir, which toured Britain between 1891 and 1893. Printed from the original glass plate negatives, these extraordinary images lay buried deep within the archives for decades, and are presented here for the first time in 125 years.

They are featured alongside a carefully curated selection of original albumen prints, cabinet cards, and cartes-de-visite (calling cards) that became popular collectibles in the late 19th century. Together, they present new knowledge and offer different ways of seeing culturally diverse sitters in Victorian portraiture: artists, dignitaries, servicemen and women, missionaries, visiting performers, known personalities, and many as yet unidentified sitters.

Peter Jackson, London, 1888.

Courtesy of Val Wilmer collection.

Their collective visual presence bears direct witness to their own personal narratives, the complexities of colonial and imperial history, and the expansion of the British Empire.

The exhibition’s 19th century photographs are presented in dialogue with Effnik, a contemporary photograph by Yinka Shonibare MBE (born 1963), which was commissioned by Autograph ABP in 1996.

Unidentified sitter, Liverpool, 1870s.

Courtesy of Val Wilmer collection.

Black Chronicles II is dedicated to the memory of Professor Stuart Hall (1932– 2014), Autograph ABP’s former chairman and ground-breaking cultural theorist. The audio and wall citations featured in the exhibition are excerpts from Hall’s inaugural keynote lecture for the symposium The Missing Chapter: Cultural Identity and The Photographic Archive presented at Rivington Place, London on May 21, 2008.

Public Programs Calendar

All programs are free and open to the public.

Opening Reception and Illustrated Lecture by Renée Mussai, Curator and Head of Archive, Autograph ABP Friday, January 29, 2016 6:30 p.m.

Yoga in the Museum Mondays, February 1 – April 25, 2016 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

February 1, March 7, and March 17 | Aba Bailey February 8 and 15 | Ayodele Murphy February 22 and 29 | Rachelle Knowles March 21 and 28 | Vanya Francis April 4, 11, 18, and 25 | Chelsea Jackson Roberts Additional support for Yoga in the Museum is provided by Bloomingdale’s.

Spelman College Family Weekend: Guided Tour of Black Chronicles II Friday, February 19, 2016 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

3 + 1: John Akomfrah’s The Last Angel of History Sunday, February 28, 2016 3:00 p.m.

Enjoy a community screening of John Akomfrah’s seminal film The Last Angel of History (1996) followed by a panel discussion moderated by Kevin Sipp, artist and Gallery Coordinator at Gallery 72, Atlanta, GA. This program is organized in partnership with the Octavia E. Butler: Celebrating Letters, Life, and Legacy Conference and the Spelman College Department of English.

Community Day Saturday, March 19, 2016 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

A fun-filled exploration of Black Chronicles II for participants of all ages that includes make-and-take art workshops, guided tours, and a special interactive experience curated by Diaspora U, an organization that creates arts programming on the black presence in the world for children.

Community Day is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required.

Please call 404.270.5607 to register.

BLACK BOX Michaela Pilar Brown Wednesday, March 23, 2016 6:30 p.m.

The Mother Wound The Mother Wound is a 40-minute performance that explores the genetic memory of trauma. Using sound, video projection, and body markings, Michaela Pilar Brown will invite the audience to join her as she explores the history of her mother’s wounds as metaphor for the existing psychological and physical disease among black women and the connection of that disease to the oppression of black women in the Americas.

About BLACK BOX

BLACK BOX is a site for play, dialogue, and creative risk taking where an artist shares an in-progress work in front of an audience for feedback, engagement, and encouragement. It also provides a space for arts enthusiasts to view compelling work from some of the most exciting and thought-provoking artists working today. Each BLACK BOX focuses on the art and culture of the African Diaspora.

If you are interested in participating, email museum@spelman.edu with ‘BLACK BOX’ in the subject line for submission guidelines.

Drawing Sessions in the Museum Thursday, April 21, 2016 7:00 p.m.

The Spelman College Department of Art & Art History has a longstanding tradition of hosting life drawing sessions for artists of all ages and levels. Join us for a special Drawing Sessions inside the Museum with a live model and an opportunity to view Black Chronicles II. This program is free and open to the public. Please bring your own materials and note that paint is not allowed in the Museum.

Please see museum.spelman.edu for the complete schedule of exhibition-related programs. Contact us at 404.270.5607, museum@spelman.edu, or @spelmanmuseum on Twitter for more information.

Guided Tours

The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art is pleased to offer guided group tours of Black Chronicles II free of charge. To schedule a tour, please email museum@spelman.edu with “Guided Tour” in the subject line.

A projected diptych portrait of Professor Stuart Hall

by Dawoud Bey is included especially for Spelman College’s presentation of Black Chronicles II.

‘They are here because you were there.

There is an umbilical connection. There is no understanding Englishness without understanding its imperial and colonial dimensions.’

Charlotte Manye, The African Choir. London Stereoscopic Company, 1891.

Courtesy of © Hulton Archive/Getty Images

‘This project wants to bring back into memory and representation, history – the forgotten, the ignored, the disavowed – the marginalised experiences.’

Peter Jackson, London Stereoscopic Company, 1889. Courtesy of © Hulton Archive/Getty Images

‘There is nothing like a photograph for reminding you about difference.

There it is. It stares you ineradicably in the face.’

Quotes by Stuart Hall, 2008

Joanna Jonkers, The African Choir. London Stereoscopic Company, 1891.

Courtesy of © Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Autograph ABP Established in 1988 with the mission of advocating the inclusion of historically marginalized photographic practices, Autograph ABP
is a charity that works internationally in photography and film, addressing politics of cultural identity, race, representation, and human rights. www.autograph-abp.co.uk Black Chronicles II is an Autograph ABP exhibition produced in collaboration with the Hulton Archive (a division of Getty Images), and features the collections Autograph ABP, Hulton Archive, Paul Frecker/The Library of Nineteenth-Century Photography, Jenny Allsworth, and Val Wilmer.

Supported by Arts Council England. Original research funded by Heritage Lottery Fund.

Major support for Spelman College’s presentation provided by the Wish Foundation, Inc. and the LUBO Fund.

Additional support provided by Burke Painting and Atlanta Celebrates Photography.

BECOME A FRIEND The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art is the only museum in the nation that emphasizes art by and about women of the African Diaspora. The Museum relies on the support and generosity of Friends and Patrons. By joining this unique cultural institution, you will support the Museum’s new acquisitions, special exhibitions, related programs, exclusive events, and outreach programs. Visit museum.spelman.edu to join today.

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SPELMAN COLLEGE MUSEUM OF FINE ART Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, Ed.D. Academic Center

GPS system address: 440 Westview Drive, SW 30310 350 Spelman Lane, Box 1526 | Atlanta, GA 30314 | 404.270.5607 museum@spelman.edu spelmanmuseum |

@spelmanmuseum |

spelmanmuseum

Hours: Tuesdays - Fridays | 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturdays | Noon - 4:00 p.m.

Closed Sunday, Monday, holidays, and Spelman College breaks

museum.spelman.edu

Image Credit: Eleanor Xiniwe, The African Choir. London Stereoscopic Company, 1891.

Courtesy of Š Hulton Archive/Getty Images

SPELMAN COLLEGE MUSEUM OF FINE ART Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, Ed.D. Academic Center

GPS system address: 440 Westview Drive, SW 30310 350 Spelman Lane, Box 1526 | Atlanta, GA 30314 | 404.270.5607 museum@spelman.edu spelmanmuseum |

@spelmanmuseum |

spelmanmuseum

Hours: Tuesdays - Fridays | 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturdays | Noon - 4:00 p.m.

Closed Sunday, Monday, holidays, and Spelman College breaks

museum.spelman.edu