There is a small wood carved drum nestled within the heart of the British Museum’s Africa Galleries. Each time I see it, it takes my breath away, because it was made in America not Africa several hundred years ago, by an unnamed slave captive.
I can only imagine that had the sculptor been caught making this object they may well have been killed. The captor wishing to negate the slave’s identity through taking away any object of their culture and history.
So this small drum, is a universal reminder of the need for all of us to express ourselves and on our own terms. That artists are our reminders of how important that we are all given the opportunity to be seen – in our theatres, galleries, museums, bookshops; and heard – in our opinions, ideas, books and plays.
Take the Space 