In 1960 and 1964, Austrian-British photographer Wolfgang Suschitzky travelled to Trinidad and Tobago as Head of Photography for the filming of Carnival Fantastique (1960), directed by his friend Edric Connor, a Trinidadian performer living in London. During this trip, Suschitzky captured Carnival in colour. His work shows participants free to express their pride; dressed in ornate, handmade costumes. These transparencies capture Carnival at a time where the country was gaining independence from Great Britain; thus, revealing Carnival in the midst of change. In this first public display of Suschitzky’s photo transparencies we trace the continuing influence of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival on London’s Notting Hill Carnival.
Far beyond the Caribbean, the annual Notting Hill Carnival celebrates sociocultural interconnectedness, shared cultural memory of community and a long history of resistance. Works by Funmi Akingbe, Gabrielle Drew, and Hark1karan capture a present day Carnival diaspora through images that depict its music, costume, and community. Informed by the geographical and physical movement of Carnival, the works capture the preparatory atmosphere, vibrant energy, and moments of reprieve.
Alongside this we will be showing archival ephemera from Suschitzky’s life and the film Mas Resistance (2023). This was directed by Alex Urquhart and produced by Valentina Kuplinova, a documentary incorporating spoken word, video, music, and performance to capture, archive, and promote the dying art of Mas – storytelling through costume – in Notting Hill Carnival.
Opening Hours:
Friday, 14 November — 12PM–6PM
Community Gathering — 6PM–late
Saturday, 15 November — 10AM–5PM
Curated by Astrid Aerts, Nadia Dougherty, Mate Jonjic, Yejin Kim, Salomé Sierra, Oviyan Sivakumar, Rae Storey, and Yuping Zong
Featuring Funmi Akingbe, Gabriella Drew, and Hark1karan
Venue:
Photofusion Gallery, Brixton
Unit 2, 2 Beehive Place, Brixton, SW9 7QR
In partnership with Photofusion, Central Saint Martins (UAL), and the Centre for British Photography.
