Wolverhampton exhibition looks back at Black Lives Matter action against racism

A series of images depicting the poignant scene at a Black Lives Matter protest at West Park in Wolverhampton have gone on display at the Light House Cinema and Bar as part of the Off-Site 9 exhibition.

The three photos have been arranged by Wolverhampton-based artist Sukhjeven Chumber, who attended the protest in June 2020 and said it struck a chord with him after suffering from racism himself.

The 36-year-old said: "I've experienced racism against myself, in art, but also in life in general, so that made me want to go out and capture the scene with these photographs.

"It was about getting photos of the scene and the people, but was also very personal to myself because of my experiences."

The project was funded by Creative Black Country and will be on display for around two months in the upstairs area of the Light House Cinema.

Mr Chumber said his art work usually involved a mixture of media, including painting and sculpting, but said he felt the photos were a powerful way of capturing the feeling at the time.

He said: "There was a lot going on at the time around the world and the protests definitely had that impact as everyone was talking about it and it was all over social media and news.

"For us to have a protest like this in Wolverhampton and to see the number of people supporting the cause was really vital as it showed people opposed to racism in all its forms.

"What I want people to think when they see the work is what it really means for us when you have experienced racism as it is not a nice experience, and I hope this can be a shared experience for everyone.

"Racism shouldn't define us and who we are, so I'm hoping the work will speak to people and help people to feel they can speak out, to have a voice and to be able to have a dialogue about it."

To find out more about the exhibition and other works for Off-Site 9, go to creativeblackcountry.co.uk/offsite9.