Black Photography: 1980s Rebellion to Renaissance Through the Lens of Ian Watts

Through this creative collaboration, the power of visual and auditory storytelling will come to life, exploring the iconic narratives of the Black liberation movements across continents during the 1980s, complimented by musician Blackmale Beats' live music soundtrack, creating a multi-sensory experience to enhance the photographic themes including:
 
The Power of Music: Sounds of Social Change.
 Community Resilience: Strength in Unity.
A Journey of Community: From the UK to Jamaica.
 Voices of Resistance: Black Activism in the 1980s.

The talk promises an engaging and reflective journey through this pivotal period of Black photography making, and its place in reflecting global Black history.

 

From the vibrant music scenes of Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, and Nina Simone, Ian’s images explore how music became a potent tool for social change globally, in contrast to the strength and resilience of UK Black community captured on the streets of London.  Ian and Ayesha will draw on prominent luminaries James Baldwin, Angela Davis, and Kwame Ture and other notable revolutionaries, further deepening our understanding of how Ian's work captured Black struggle worldwide. This immersive retrospective also reflects on how Ian's photography resonates today, as contemporary movements for social justice draw inspiration from the same spirit of rebellion, creativity, and solidarity. 

See 'Download Programme' for further information.