All the World Is Now Richer

The concept for the ‘All the world is now richer ‘came about by being invited to submit ideas for a memorial to the abolition slavery for a site in Hyde Park. I was unsuccessful with my bid for the site but felt that the idea was strong, and I should try to realize it for another site.

My research led me to William Prescott an ex-slave who said, ‘They will remember we were slaves, but they will not remember that we were brave’. I focused on William Prescott’s words….’We were Brave ‘positive strong words that describes people of colour as brave. How they coped in America, The Caribbean and in Britain and other places in the world had to feature in the work I was to produce.

I am an African and I admire people that look like me; – artists mothers, teachers, academics.

I immersed myself in research and sculptural pieces that described freeing oneself from ‘brook ships and enslaved identity. My work is made with sheet steel, cut, and welded with gas and Mig (which is a welding process) the works are constructed in strips like a patchwork quilt- I did not want to render the pieces like a traditional clay sculpture which would be turned into bronze. I intuitively steered away from this colonial practice.

 I made the pieces myself and they are bespoke. Created with the theme the characters played in history.

 The first three figures are bare footed because of their situation- Bare feet in Africa is not necessarily show discomfort or poverty, The First man is a traditional ‘free man’ from the continent. The Plantation worker and the Maid are slaves and are depicted in this way because they did not have any choice.

Creole Woman, Businessman and T- shirt man have different styles of shoes to show how they have progressed and gained some wealth.

Clothing is an important part of my working style, I describe people and the saga of slavery, through clothing and words.

From our rich ancestral lands, we were bought sold and used, but we were brave, we were strong, we survived. All the world is now richer.

Living and working as an artist in London, a first world city, which was built with the support of slavery. I have become more aware that we would not have all that we do without this trade.

Local history has no recollection of the gains of slavery that built Britain.

 But you only have to dig a little to find notices looking for lost slaves or old street maps with roads named –Black boy road, to know that pensions were enhanced, and estates were built with this trade.

The words and the figurative component of the sculpture echo William Prescott’s statement ‘they were brave ‘

We hope to make a permanent sculpture so that the world recognizes the important role played by the enslaved.

The idea was to create something positive about slavery.

When one describes the horror of chains and the trans-Atlantic crossings, it is hard to imagine that people can move on from this experience… But people have moved on from the experience and their bravery should be celebrated and noted for posterity.