V&A East has announced a new exhibition called “The Music Is Black: A British Story,” which will focus on Britain’s history of Black music. The exhibition will dive into the story of Black music for 125 years. From early pioneers of Black music like Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Winifred Atwell, Emile Forde, and Janet Kay to modern artists like Kano, Ms Dynamite, Little Simz, Jorja Smith, Sampha, Raye, Ezra Collective, and more, the exhibition will showcase every aspect of Black music in Britain.
The exhibition will feature the international importance and influence of Black music in addition to Black music in Britain. The exhibition will offer an opportunity to learn about dancefloors, club nights, recording studios, record shops, MC battles, festivals, and Notting Hill Carnival, among other things, looking back from 1900 to the present day.
In the exhibition, a variety of genres such as jungle, ragga, drum ‘n’ bass, trip hop, UK garage will be explored. The social, historical, and cultural context behind Black music in Britain, as well as iconic paintings, prints, posters, TV, fashion, photography, and film, will also be highlighted.
Jacqueline Springer, the exhibition curator, said, “Music is the soundtrack to our lives, and one of the most powerful tools of unification. It brings collective and individual joy as we recite song lyrics at festivals and gigs, recall dance moves perfected in childhood bedrooms, and mime to guitar breaks, bassline drops and instrumental flourishes with glee.” Springer adds that the exhibition celebrates “the richness and versatility of Black and Black British music as instruments of protest, affirmation, and creativity, and reveal the untold stories behind these sounds that have changed the world.”
In conclusion, the exhibition will shed light on every aspect of Black music in Britain and globally. From historical aspects to today’s modern artists, all have a place in this exhibition, which will take place at V&A East. The exhibition promises to be a learning experience filled with joy, glory, and a testament to generations of Black British music progenitors
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