Rise Up, Fitzwilliam Museum: A claustrophobic interrogation of the legacy of the slave trade

And so, the Fitzwilliam Museum's sorrowful, self-appointed anatomy of the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade continues. Two years after Black Atlantic, a deliberately disruptive show that addressed similar themes, took over its historic galleries, the next instalment, Rise Up, arrives in the temporary exhibition spaces. Bring a tissue, is my advice; aside from the occasional jab at, say, the 'white colonial perspective', or the 'doublethink' of the Countess of Huntingdon, the mood is mostly sombre.
A sense of claustrophobia is apparent from the start. A vast painting by the British-Nigerian artist Joy Labinjo, depicting the 18th-century black campaigner Olaudah Equiano and his white wife (whom he probably met in Cambridge), with their young daughters, is crammed into a tight space at the entrance, hung on a false wall; on the other side, a pair of imposing columns like monumental grave markers, made of wooden planks to evoke slaving ships, and inscribed with horrifying statistics, dominate a dark-grey gallery, as a distracting audio recording recites the names of 29 enslaved African women and young girls from a page inside a plantation inventory presented nearby: 'Sue, Old Juliet, Little Grace, Joan…'
Elsewhere, a lump of charcoaled wood engraved with a poem picked out in gold leaf by Portuguese artist Grada Kilomba serves (we're told) as a 'metaphorical tomb' for the 'millions of Africans that were trafficked' (12.5 million, according to the catalogue).
The artefact, though, that most moved me was a sampler completed in 1833 by Susannah Edwards, an enslaved girl removed from an illegal slaving ship by the Royal Navy and resettled in Sierra Leone as a 'Liberated African' (as her stitches proclaim). The contrast between the brutality of her life's story and her needlework's ingenuous, homespun simplicity skewers the heart.
The history of abolitionism provides a structure. The first room reveals the savagery endured by enslaved Africans in the New World; the second gallery changes tack and provides a lesson in literary history, by presenting influential 18th-century volumes, many by black writers such as Equiano, which rallied the British public to the abolitionist cause.
Uprisings in Haiti and elsewhere in the Caribbean are a focus of the final space, before the exhibition peters out, with a curiously lukewarm call to carry on the 'fight', as a label puts it, 'for a more equitable society'. 'How much has really changed in over 200 years?' this same label asks. 'Thankfully,' you might respond, 'a lot.'
To offset the glut of documents on display, including ledgers as well as first editions, and so to enliven an otherwise bookish atmosphere, the curators intersperse on-point pieces by various contemporary artists such as Keith Piper. Several, though, are run-of-the-mill.
In the foreground to the catalogue, the Fitz's director, Luke Syson, sounds cautious, acknowledging that, as the museum's 'journey of change' is only 'just beginning', 'we will sometimes make mistakes.' It would be wrong to describe this heartfelt interrogation of some of history's darkest chapters and complexities as a 'mistake'. But nor is it a crisp or entirely successful exhibition.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Scottish Sun

an hour ago

• Scottish Sun

Hong Kong's dystopian ‘coffin homes' where 200,000 live in tiny boxes with barely enough space for a bed amid high rents

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HONG Kong residents crammed into so-called coffin homes sleep on tiny beds which fill entire rooms without enough space for luggage. More than 200,000 people in Hong Kong, China, are forced to endure cramped, squalid conditions - living in tiny box-like homes with barely a few feet of personal space. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers continue to live in tiny cramped living spaces Credit: Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 9 An occupant watches television inside a subdivided residential unit, known as a 'coffin home' Credit: Getty 9 The tiny huts contrast to the city's high-end luxury apartments Credit: Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 9 A shared wash basin and toilet inside a 'coffin home' Credit: Getty The former British colony has topped the list for the world's most unaffordable city for the 14th year running. And it also suffers one of the worst inequality rates on the planet. Its subdivided flats, barely big enough to squeeze in a double bed, have become notorious for eye-watering rents. Last week, YouTuber Drew Binsky, 34, shared shocking footage from inside one of the cramped properties. After witnessing the horrifying conditions, he dubbed it the 'sad reality of life in HK'. He revealed that tenants are coughing up around £217 a month for a space in a flat packed with 26 box-sized "coffin homes". Astonishing footage showed a man lying in his makeshift cubicle, surrounded by belongings stuffed against the walls and spilling across his narrow bed. A tiny TV sits at the foot of one resident's bed, almost completely buried under a tangled mess of wires and plugs. The exterior appears nearly entirely derelict, with many of the so-called homes wedged into crumbling tower blocks in run-down business districts. Over the years, many photographers have captured the shocking scenes within the minuscule pads. Nail-biting moment terrified boys dangle on edge of high rise building Each pod measures just 15 to 18 square feet, barely enough room to lie down and stash belongings. The airless, windowless cells leave tenants with a severe lack of ventilation during seasons of sweltering heat. Many try to alleviate this problem by keeping their flimsy sliding doors open, sacrificing any shred of privacy. Residents also have to share filthy, bug-infested toilets with dozens of neighbours. The stench of damp and decay is also potent when living inside the cramped cells. These cramped homes are a world away from the luxury enjoyed by Hong Kong's upper and even middle class, who live in mountaintop mansions or even standard flats. "Coffin homes" have long attracted the international media spotlight as a symbol of the city's failed housing policies. 9 Two residents sleeping in their own 'coffin homes' Credit: Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 9 The infamous homes only have one room Credit: Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 9 The living spaces are a symbol of the city's inequality Credit: Getty But Hong Kong officials have pledged to phase out the infamous 'coffin homes' by 2049. They have set new rules on minimum living space and safety standards for subdivided flats. Local authorities said they have identified enough land to build 308,000 public housing units over the next decade. Since July 2022, around 49,000 people have been moved into public rental housing, with another 18,400 units of temporary accommodation made available as a short-term fix. Hong Kong was also known for its sprawling fortress which was once the most crowded city on Earth. With some 50,000 people crammed into a few blocks of concrete jungle, Kowloon Walled City was an ungoverned place plagued by lawlessness. The city was a wonder in itself - with thousands of families and businesses housed in some 300 interconnected high-rise buildings across 6.4 acres of land. Haunting pictures showed the grim reality of the concrete jungle, which existed as a Chinese territory, with narrow tower blocks packed tight against each other. The astonishing scenes echo living standards in Manila, where slums are among the most tightly packed in the world. Extraordinary aerial images shed light on just how crowded the shanty towns really are in the Philippines capital. 9 There is barely enough room to store possessions Credit: Getty

Daily Mirror

an hour ago

• Daily Mirror

I tried salad cream from nine supermarkets - winner was £1.40 cheaper than Heinz

We tried salad creams from Asda, Aldi, Lidl, M&S, Waitrose, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's to see which was the best and how they compared to iconic brand Heinz. Salad cream, with its tangy kick and creamy texture, is a staple in many British households. Often used as a salad dressing, sandwich spread or even a dip, this pale condiment owes its unique flavour to vinegar. The first commercially produced salad cream was introduced by Heinz in 1914, after eight years of perfecting the recipe. Since then, various supermarkets have launched their own versions of this iconic sauce. ‌ I recently put salad creams from Asda, Aldi, Lidl, M&S, Waitrose, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's to the test to see how they stack up against the original Heinz, reports the Express. ‌ 1. Asda - £2 for 420g This one was a hit, pairing well with both bread and salad items like cucumber. Score: 7/10. 2. Aldi - 99p for 520g While it didn't quite measure up to the competition, it wasn't unpleasant. Score: 5/10. 3. Lidl - £1.09 for 500ml This version was deemed too tangy compared to others and didn't make for an enjoyable eating experience. ‌ Score: 3/10. 4. M&S - £1.50 for 440g This condiment shone when used in a sandwich, especially when other ingredients were present to balance out the cream. Score: 6/10. ‌ 5. Waitrose - £1.55 for 450g With a noticeable mustard flavour, it didn't fare well as a dip or on bread, which was a letdown. Score: 2/10. 6. Morrisons - £1.60 for 420g This one leaned more towards mayonnaise than any other salad cream we sampled. ‌ Score: 5/10. 7. Tesco - £1.70 for 450ml The product lacked a bit of punch in the flavour department, which was disappointing, but it did pair well with cheese and crusty bread. Score: 5/10. ‌ 8. Heinz - £3 for 425g This one had a pleasing texture, although it was a tad too runny, resulting in it pouring out of the bottle without any squeeze. 9. Sainsbury's - £1.60 for 420g This salad cream was full of flavour without being overly tangy and boasted an excellent consistency. It emerged as the winner in our taste test, and considering its price, it certainly outshone Heinz.

Leader Live

a day ago

• Leader Live

Chester Zoo: Four rare Maccoa ducklings hatch in 'historic moment'

This 'historic moment' marks the zoo's first successful breeding of the rare African birds and is part of ongoing efforts to protect threatened species on the continent. The Maccoa ducks are one of Africa's rarest species, with only about 5,000 left in the wild. They are found in fragmented areas across Central and East Africa. Their population has 'dramatically declined', with only 14 individuals remaining in Kenya and fewer than 100 in Tanzania, raising concerns about their future survival. The newly hatched ducklings are the first to emerge in the zoo's new Heart of Africa zone, a 22.5-acre area dedicated to African species that are vanishing in the African Maccoa ducks hatch at Chester Zoo in breeding first (Image: Chester Zoo) Andrew Owen, head of birds at Chester Zoo, said: "As one of just seven zoos in Europe, and 12 zoos globally, that care for Maccoa ducks, these ducklings are very special as they're the first of their kind to ever hatch here at the zoo – making it a really historic moment for our team. "This success gives a real boost to the future of the species and these vital new additions will contribute to the safety-net population in zoos. "These birds are facing rapid decline in the wild, so every hatchling really does of the African Maccoa ducklings hatched at Chester Zoo (Image: Chester Zoo) "To see them now out on the water inside our new Heart of Africa habitat, which is dedicated to helping Africa's most threatened species thrive, makes this milestone even more special." Maccoa ducks are diving ducks, recognised for their stiff tails and deep-blue bills, typically found in nutrient-rich wetland habitats. Their rapid decline is primarily due to habitat degradation, water pollution, and climate change. Consequently, the species is categorised as endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, underlining the necessity for urgent conservation efforts. Chester Zoo is one of only 12 institutions worldwide working with this highly threatened species and intends to play a crucial role in their survival. The zoo hopes that the successful hatching of these ducklings will aid in the long-term protection of the rare ducks.