Out of the Whirlwind鈥檚 Radiance
The exhibition鈥檚 title references 鈥楳ass Man鈥�, a poem by Derek Walcott in which he highlights the disjuncture between the joyful, festive celebration of carnival and a mindful remembrance of times of slavery. 鈥楤ut somewhere in that whirlwind鈥檚 radiance / a child, rigged like a bat, collapses, sobbing鈥�. Indeed, the commercialised nature of carnivals globally has been increasingly accused of reducing profoundly important cultural and historical events to a 鈥榝etishized surplus value鈥� (Nagle 2005), a frequent criticism of London鈥檚 own Notting Hill Carnival which takes place every year in the gallery鈥檚 surroundings and with which this exhibition coincides.
Out of the Whirlwind鈥檚 Radiance seeks to reveal the interests of contemporary artists in the notion of carnival and its inherent deeper meanings. The show focuses upon some of the various global manifestations of masquerade in carnival contexts as a marker of a potent relationship, both historic and contemporary, between African and diasporic cultures. Furthermore it intends not only to celebrate but also to actively contextualise Notting Hill Carnival within its own broad historical and global scope.
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The exhibition鈥檚 title references 鈥楳ass Man鈥�, a poem by Derek Walcott in which he highlights the disjuncture between the joyful, festive celebration of carnival and a mindful remembrance of times of slavery. 鈥楤ut somewhere in that whirlwind鈥檚 radiance / a child, rigged like a bat, collapses, sobbing鈥�. Indeed, the commercialised nature of carnivals globally has been increasingly accused of reducing profoundly important cultural and historical events to a 鈥榝etishized surplus value鈥� (Nagle 2005), a frequent criticism of London鈥檚 own Notting Hill Carnival which takes place every year in the gallery鈥檚 surroundings and with which this exhibition coincides.
Out of the Whirlwind鈥檚 Radiance seeks to reveal the interests of contemporary artists in the notion of carnival and its inherent deeper meanings. The show focuses upon some of the various global manifestations of masquerade in carnival contexts as a marker of a potent relationship, both historic and contemporary, between African and diasporic cultures. Furthermore it intends not only to celebrate but also to actively contextualise Notting Hill Carnival within its own broad historical and global scope.
Artists on show
