Men’s shirts

About “Legacy”

Following the exhibitions and conversations that have grown out of the portrait quilt collection, I have begun exploring the possibility of a new companion work that would focus on the generation/s that followed.

Where Windrush Voices preserves the stories and testimony of those who made the original journey from the Caribbean to Britain, this new work would consider the legacy of that generation through the lives of their children and descendants.

At this early stage I envisage a large-scale textile wall hanging of approximately four to five metres in length, constructed from a number of interconnected sections. Rather than focusing on recorded testimony, as the original portraits do, the emphasis would be visual. The work would bring together a group of around six or more individuals whose lives and achievements reflect the continuing contribution of the Windrush generation in Britain today.

The piece would explore themes of inheritance, identity, belonging, resilience, achievement and cultural continuity. My intention is not to create a historical record in the same way as the original quilts, but to create a collective portrait that speaks about what emerged from the sacrifices, struggles and aspirations of the Windrush generation.

Textile journal in chapters.