The online exhibition for ‘Enter, TRAGIC MULATTA’ is finally up! 💫 🎥 🖼️ Photos by @latehoursdesign
On the ETM webpage, you can watch a recording of the full performance at Manchester Art Gallery and oral history interviews with the project’s participants.
It also includes more info about the tragic mulatto stereotype and a display of objects selected by participants to reflect mixed heritage 🙌🏽
(Link in bio)
Huge thanks to the team and participants for bringing this amazing project to life! Very excited to see what you all think of it ❤️
We did it!! 🎤🎭✨ After four weeks of creative storytelling workshops, a magical group of mixed heritage women and non-binary people took to the stage last night to share their stories and challenge the Tragic Mulatto Myth.
Our multimedia performance, “Enter TRAGIC MULATTA” was brought to life in the stunning Victorian Galleries at Manchester Art Gallery to a sold-out audience. The performance showcased the experiences of Mixed White and Black Caribbean/African people in Greater Manchester and highlighted some of the stereotypes that affect us.
This was my first project as Lead Artist, and I am so happy that I could create a space for this wonderful group of people to come together and rewrite the story of mixed-race representation in the arts.
I couldn’t have done it without Ella Otomewo, our amazing workshop facilitator and dramaturg, or Isabelle Cox, our fantastic producer. It’s been so special to design and shape this project with you both 💗
We also couldn’t have asked for a more talented group of performers!! Everyone brought their unique voice and performance style to create a very powerful piece of original theatre. Each workshop was so rich with everyone’s insights on what it means to be mixed heritage – I wish we could get together every week!
A very special thanks to Antonia and Grace at LOWRY, Katy and Debbie at Manchester Art Gallery, and Arts Council England for supporting our project.
Stay tuned for our upcoming digital exhibition about mixed heritage histories and Tragic Mulatta characters through time! Our exhibition will feature oral history interviews from last night’s performers and a recording of the show for those that missed it... 🎥
✨ Take Part in Creative Storytelling Project Exploring Mixed-Race Identity ✨
Enter, TRAGIC MULATTA is a creative storytelling project about mixed-race experiences and stereotypes. 📝🎤💗
We are looking for 10 women and non-binary people of White and Black Caribbean heritage in Greater Manchester. If you are ‘White and Black African’ and would like to take part, please apply. We would love to hear from you!
You do not need previous writing or performance experience. Curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to share your story are all that’s needed. 🌈🙌🏽
Deadline: MONDAY 6th OCTOBER, 1pm
Send a short paragraph introducing yourself and explaining why you’d like to take part to Amy Townsend-Lowcock, Lead Artist at [email protected]. You can send a short audio recording (up to 3 minutes) if preferred.
Any questions, email Amy at [email protected] or dm @_ajlt_
You must be 18+ to apply 🧡
What is a TRAGIC MULATTA?
The “tragic mulatta” is a little-known racial stereotype. It portrays mixed-race women as conflicted, unhappy, or dishonest. It first appeared in stories about free mixed-race women being sold into slavery, enduring heartbreak, and sometimes dying violently. Although the stereotype has changed over time, traces of it still appear in today’s media. This project invites you to challenge and rethink that story. ⭐️
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and LOWRY as part of their Artist Development Program.
#happeninginmanchester #lowry #britishcouncil #mcrartgallery
A few snaps from my filmmaking workshops with the amazing mums from ‘Families of the World’ at Manchester Art Gallery. We visited Manchester Museum, The Whitworth Art Gallery, and Manchester Central Library, making four short films about the free things each place has to offer for young families. 🧑🍼🎨📚
‘Families of the World’ is project led by Manchester Art Gallery for young families seeking sanctuary in Manchester. Check out the films – which were shot and directed by the women – on the Manchester Art Gallery website for World Refugee Day on Thursday 20th June 2024!
I’m heading to Venice!! ✨ So excited to announce I’ll be one of the British Council’s Venice Biennale Fellows for 2024!
In September, I’ll spend a month at @labiennale developing a personal creative project and working as an ambassador at the #BritishPavilion.
The Venice Biennale is one of the longest-running and most prestigious cultural festivals in the world. I can’t wait to draw inspiration from John Akomfrah RA’s #ListeningAllNightToTheRain exhibition. I’ve been a big fan of his work for a long time!
Thanks so much to @the_lowry for letting me represent you!
@britisharts 🥳
#venicebiennale2024 #johnakomfrah
Welcome to Stories We Tell: Nelson!
Last month, @rochdale.breakingbarriers brought the former mill town, Nelson, to life with beautiful projections and binaural interviews from its residents.
It was a wonderful project to be a part of. I loved learning about the rich history of Nelson and its people (who can’t quite agree on what the town monument is meant to represent)!
On my first night filming the walk, a woman in her eighties saw us huddled up outside the bus station as we were about to set off, and asked to join us. She wasn’t a fan of wearing headphones, so she held them to her ears instead. After the show, she said she had lived in Nelson all her life, and that the stories and videos of the piece had given her hope for the future.
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If you didn’t catch it, rest assured we have a brand new show coming to the moorlands around Rochdale in May!
Elevation is a magical audio walk along Blackstone Edge, guided by voices of the past, present, and future. ⛰️
It’s free to join, you’ll just need to reserve a ticket in advance!
Link in bio
Come along in your comfy shoes from 22nd May - 28 June. There will be performances throughout the afternoon with a few sunrise shows sprinkled in. Hope to see you there! Xxx
Just over a year ago, Xiaomeng, Laura May and I created a short film for Manchester Museum. A year on, ‘Lily Kwok’s Chicken Curry’ is still on display in the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery!
‘Lily Kwok’s Chicken Curry’ follows the extraordinary journey of the woman who opened Middleton’s first Chinese restaurant. The full film is up on my website/portfolio 😋🖼️
It was so much fun making this film and so exciting to see it still up on the museum walls. The biggest highlights of the project were our ‘research trips’ to Sweet Mandarin restaurant and the fancy opening night, where I accidentally wore a tracksuit!
Our colourful, animated film was brought to life by Helen Tse and the Sweet Mandarin family, who provided interviews and a family archive for the project. Special thanks to them, as well as Rebecca Dobbs and Michael Wood for mentoring us! ❤️
Over the moon to be working as the Assistant Director on the @rochdale.breakingbarriers ‘Elevation’ project!
This winter/spring, our team will be creating a binaural sound piece, taking audiences on a multi-sensory journey through the hills around Rochdale!
We kicked off the year with a trip to beautiful Blackstone Edge for a poetry day. Don’t let these sunny snaps fool you… it was -3C!! ☃️⛰️🌳
Exploring the scenery, @nasimabeepoet and @kate.ireland__ crafted moving poems that brought the hills to life. Then, we finished the day off with a hot cup of tea at the local pub. ☕️
To get a sense of what Elevation will be like, check out our ‘Stories We Tell: Nelson’ sound piece with a visit to the former mill town! The show will be on from 28th Feb – 2nd March. Link in bio xx
Last year, I had the pleasure of doing the audiovisual design for #FourDholisAndADivorce – a beautiful play written by @redwizz , directed by @juliasamuels , and stage managed by @haleyyui . 🌺
Thank you Hafsah for trusting me to create projection work from your amazing personal archive! This project was a highlight of 2023 for me – an incredibly moving piece of work brought to life by a fabulous creative team and courageous contributions from the community!
I hope this new year brings more amazing work like Four Dholis. To see so many women travel from across the country to support, share in, and enjoy the play was very special indeed. 🙌🏽💓🪩
Fab photos by @soniathephotographer
Mum showing off her concertina book after a wonderfully grounding ‘Mindful Sound Drawing’ workshop 🪴⛅️
If you find yourself in the area, pop down to the National Justice Museum on a Friday morning for a free, creative workshop. We were lucky enough to catch artist Emma Davies in action, leading activities in experimental mark-making!
It was the first time in Nottingham for both of us; we ate pasta, got on the wrong tram twice and spent a little too long in the Nottingham Contemporary gift shop.
P.S. Alessia stole the show in @lakesidearts Romeo and Juliet last night (and I’m not just saying because we’re cousins 😉)
My Fruits @ HOME Theatre! My lovely technician Yvette saved the day and helped me overcome the nerves of performing on the amazing stage at HOME. What a wonderful team, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience and am so grateful you took a chance on me!
Thanks again to Andrew Edwards for promoting the show on Gaydio - it was so inspiring to chat to a fellow arts enthusiast 💐 Catch Andrew on the airwaves on Sunday mornings (7-9am on 88.4FM), and recognise the icon for his show on the Gaydio website from the final pic!
And, of course, thank you to everyone who came to see the show! It meant the world to me and my family ❤️🙏🏽 See you all at the next one x
So excited to announce that My Fruits has almost sold out! ☺️ Want to give a very special thank you to all of you that bought tickets and are coming to support 💗 This show is so personal to me and I couldn’t have made it without the brave contributions from my mum, aunties and uncle. Special thanks to my talented sound designer, Miles (AKA dithering); Sophie Everest for all her wisdom; @laurie_bh for all the inspiration that came from Handle with Care; @homemcr for taking a chance on me. Can’t wait to share this story with you all. Big love ❤️
