QUEENS

“I think any black woman is a queen. It’s just, do you know it? Do you see it in yourself? Do you recognize it, do you abide by that, do you define yourself as that? Based on who we are and what we’ve been through and how we survive and where we stand, we are on a kind of sacred ground. We stand on the backs of our ancestors.”

— Ava DuVernay

This project is a response to the Queen’s platinum jubilee and an exploration of what a true Queen looks like. Featuring a diverse, multi-generational selection of Black British ‘Queens’ from my local area of Tottenham, London, QUEENS aims to shine a spotlight on the Black British experience within a country reigned by a monarchy that doesn’t look like them, represents a status quo that is often harmful to them, and whose life and experiences feel a world away from our own. QUEENS also explores how creative expression allows us to see someone’s innate regality, using a creative mix of traditional regal elements such as swords and crowns, inspired by paintings of British Monarchs from the past, with African and Afro-futuristic elements that reflect the heritage and history of the participants.

Produced with my wife Amanda Bright and her charity Arts Bridge Charity, and in partnership with Bernie Grant Arts Centre, this project was a truly positive collaboration, bringing together and uplifting women and LGBTQIA+ individuals from the local area and celebrating the Queens that walk among us.