‘Our Stories’ is a series of four short films which delve into experiences of Black Londoners, through the stories of objects and individuals. The films explore a range of themes including race, migration, colonialism, representation, and resistance. They were developed collaboratively between the two poets, photographer and archivist they feature, and four Culture Mile Learning partners: the Museum of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, Guildhall Art Gallery and London Metropolitan Archives.
Liz Johnson Artur
Liz Johnson Artur is a Ghanaian-Russian photographer whose work documents the lives of Black people from across the African diaspora. Born in Bulgaria, she has lived and worked in London since the early 1990s. Here Liz talks about ‘Top shelf,’ a photographic piece created for the Guildhall Art Gallery capturing moments of everyday life for South Londoners, mostly in Brixton and Peckham. ‘Top Shelf’ explores themes of family, love and friendship whilst bringing into focus some of the cultural nuances within the communities photographed.
“I think we can demand to go to a place like this gallery, which is in the heart of London, and to encounter art that relates to all of us. So hopefully, in 50 years’ time, it’s not a big deal to see pictures like mine in a gallery like this.”