The Black Living Archive is a process-based initiative which brings together the energies, expertise, intellectual and cultural production of three Black creative activists from one family. Taking their inspiration from their wider and varied physical and online networks, Niamh, Bo and Pauline have dedicated time over the last few months to considering approaches to archival practice that enable the exploration of themes including:

• Deep Solidarity and resistance
• Heritage, histories, and families
• Care, self-care, and the archive
• Community/communities
• Radical authenticity and visibility
• Future decolonised histories

This exhibition is a continuation of the artists recent residency on the ONCA Barge which took place during Black History Month in response to an open call and with support from Enjoolata Foundation. You can read more about their residency here.

Events & opening times

Please note there will be several private events happening during this exhibition when the gallery will be closed to the general public. Visitors are welcome to the exhibition during the following times:

Friday 9 December: 1 – 4pm

Saturday 10 December: 1 – 2:30pm

Wednesday 14 December: 1 – 2pm & 4 – 6pm

Thursday 15 December: 1 – 6pm

Friday 16 December: 1 – 2pm & 4 – 6pm

Saturday 17 December: 1 – 4pm

**Please note that private events are only for audiences invited directly by the artists, spaces are not available to book**

Artist Talk

Saturday 17 December, 2-4pm the artists invite you to an open conversation about the Black Living Archive process and journey. Everyone is welcome to attend this event, no need to book.

About the artists

Pauline Rutter is an interdisciplinary cultural producer and researcher based in West Sussex.  Her background in fine art, education, sustainability and activism are inspired by her commitment to equity, social and environmental justice, and futures. In recent years her practice has been focused through work with the University of Brighton’s Values and Sustainability Research Group, Adur and Worthing Climate Assembly and through developing a programme of creative responses with The Culture Capital Exchange on ‘Equity and Social Justice in Higher Education Research.’ Pauline is currently completing a History PhD centring approaches to Black Feminist Historiography seeded through collective wisdom, intergenerational interconnectivity, and an evolving embodied and relational praxis.

Bo (18) is a Nonbinary Lesbian artist, studying for an Illustration Degree at Brighton University. They aim to explore themes of queerness, authenticity and living as a Black mixed-race femme in brighton. She is also cultivating a personal online portfolio on instagram (@Honeyteacakez), sharing a range of digital artworks primarily focusing on original character design and their favourite fictional media.

Niamh (22) is a recent History graduate from the University of Sussex. Their inspirations for the Black Living Archives reside in the engagement  with activist networks with a focus on equality and representation, socialist politics, solidarity, mutual aid, decolonising the curriculum, Black and ethnically minoritized community building and the humanised archiving/ preserving of all such things.

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Image description: An image of Niamh Rutter sitting at a table covered in documents, images and post-it notes during a curation process. Niamh’s profile is to the camera as she looks across the room at someone to ask a question.