Tavares Strachan: There is Light Somewhere
The Guardian ★★★★ Time Out ★★★★ Observer ★★★★
Tavares Strachan: There is Light Somewhere investigates science, mythology, history, and exploration from a Black perspective. Until 1st September
Visit: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/art-exhibitions/tavares-strachan-there-light-somewhere.
At the core of Tavares Strachan’s captivating exhibition lies a subtle piece representing Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951). Her cells, taken without consent, have played a crucial role in medical research. This delicate glass tribute makes her presence known to observant visitors.
Strachan, born in the Bahamas in 1979 and now based in New York, commemorates forgotten figures and untold stories. His homage to Robert Henry Lawrence Jr., the first African American astronaut in the US space program, features a striking neon lifesize figure suspended above Earth. He also honors Matthew Henson, potentially the first Black explorer to reach the North Pole, depicted in various forms including ceramic and frosted acrylic.
Strachan, inspired by his experiences in Arctic exploration and cosmonaut training, navigates different media with ease. His first major museum survey at the Hayward Gallery showcases his poetic memorials. One piece features NASA computer scientist Annie Easley, symbolizing her erasure by racist colleagues. This work includes a shelf of books by WEB Dubois, whose concept of double consciousness inspired Strachan’s title.
His art, encyclopedic in nature, blends hidden histories with traditional Britannica entries. Figures and images reemerge, challenging dominant narratives. Portrait heads behind African masks reveal figures like Mary Seacole, James Baldwin, and Derek Walcott. A head of Septimius Severus opens to show Steve Biko, while Nina Simone appears within the Queen of Sheba, questioning the true identity of queens and emperors.
Strachan’s expansive vision ranges from intimate pieces to large installations. Some, like the bronze heads of Marcus Garvey and King Tubby, may feel overly produced, while others, like the model of Garvey’s SS Yarmouth, evoke powerful metaphors. Inside a vast grass-thatched hut inspired by Ugandan architecture, visitors find a golden DJ’s desk with flickering lights and iconic voices and music, inviting participation and creating a timeless connection in Strachan’s work.
