In The Black Fantastic, an exhibition running at the Hayward Gallery within the Southbank Centre in London, is said to be the UK’s first major exhibition dedicated to the work of black artists.
Showcasing new works and special commissions through painting, photography, video, sculpture and mixed-media installations, In The Black Fantastic seeks to create immersive experiences, with elements of folklore, science fiction, spiritual traditions and legacies of Afrofuturism.
The exhibition is curated by Ekow Eshun, with participating artists including the likes of Nick Cave, Rashaad Newsome and Tabita Rezaire, who aim to demonstrate fantasy becoming a zone of creative and cultural liberation, and a means of addressing racism and social injustice by conjuring new ways of being in the world.
Running alongside the exhibition, a summer season of events will take place across the Southbank Centre, spanning literature, performance and music, as well as a series of outdoor installations and a programme of film screenings will be hosted at BFI Southbank.
Hayward Gallery and Southbank Centre
The Hayward Gallery’s exhibition programme focuses on presenting a wide range of adventurous and influential artists from across the globe. The onsite cafe, which looks out across the River Thames, offers a range of meals and hot drinks for groups to recharge between activities. For more food options, groups can browse around the Southbank Centre Food Market, located just moments away.
As well as the Hayward Gallery, other venues connected to the Southbank Centre include the Royal Festival Hall and the Queen Elizabeth Hall, both of which run their own year-round programmes of events and concerts.
In The Black Fantastic is running at the Hayward Gallery within the Southbank Centre from 29th June - 18th September. For more information about group bookings and other events at the Southbank Centre, visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk/visit/group-visits or call the group booking line on 020 3879 9555.
