Ubunifu: Celebrating Creativity, Imagination, and Innovation in #Reclaiming Narratives
In honour of Black History Month 2024, we recently celebrated “Ubunifu”—a Swahili word embodying creativity, imagination, and innovation.
Image by Tobi Shobowale | Unbunifu event attendees
This evening focused on #reclaiming narratives, celebrating the remarkable creativity and resilience of people of colour. Supported by Surface Matter and HTA Design and with the invaluable efforts of Tiri, Nana, and Tobi, this event brought together voices and visions that have helped to reshape narratives, challenge stereotypes, and reclaim stories.
Considering the number of extraordinary thinkers and creatives to highlight, preparing this presentation felt like a beautiful challenge. Each has reshaped their craft, breaking moulds and pushing the boundaries of art, history, and culture. For this piece, I chose to focus on a few transformative figures whose impact on me has been profound.
The Dream of Creativity
Growing up, I wanted to be an artist. Maybe you did, too? Back then, I didn’t fully understand what that would mean as a career, but I loved to draw and paint. Like many, however, as a teenager, I began to hear that art was “not a real job” or “a path for the foolish,” especially for someone like me. Fortunately, as I grew older, I discovered artists whose work shattered these limiting beliefs and showed me that art is not only a viable path but an essential one.
Presence: The Quiet Revolution of Sonia Boyce
Discovering Sonia Boyce, a Black British artist, changed everything for me. Boyce holds many “firsts”: the first Black British woman whose work was acquired by the Tate (1987), the first Black woman chosen by the British Council to represent Britain at the Venice Biennale, and the first Black woman elected to the Royal Academy of Arts in 2016. Boyce’s work celebrates visibility and voice, a “quiet radicalism” I first experienced during her 1989 exhibit, The Other Story. Her piece, “Big Women Talk” struck me deeply, reminding me of the familial warmth and animated conversations I knew from home.
One of Boyce’s most daring interventions came in 2018 when she removed Hylas and the Nymphs from the walls of the Manchester Art Gallery. By creating a pause in which visitors could engage with the role of women and diversity in art, Boyce sparked conversations about inclusion and representation. The public reaction was swift and intense, with critics, including The Guardian’s Jonathan Jones, accusing her of censorship. Yet, as Boyce’s work reminds us, holding space for engagement and critique is vital for growth and transformation.
Lighting the Way: The Urgency of Jean-Michel Basquiat
Brooklyn-born artist Jean-Michel Basquiat made waves by following his instincts and daring to believe in his vision. With a Haitian father and a Puerto Rican mother, Basquiat questioned who art was for and where it belonged. He started with graffiti on the streets and quickly moved to canvas, producing over 1,000 paintings and 2,000 drawings before his untimely death in 1988. Basquiat’s work and spirit celebrate self-belief and urgency—his willingness to make his mark reminds us that we can create on our own terms without waiting for permission.
In talking with my colleagues, Tiri and Nana, we discussed how crucial it is for institutions to recognise diverse approaches and ensure arts education includes people from all backgrounds. According to the Runnymede Trust, only 2.7% of teachers in the Arts come from Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse backgrounds at the school level. Imagine how transformative it would be if this percentage reflected true diversity.
Theaster Gates: Art as a Path to Spatial Justice
Theaster Gates stands as an artist who redefines creativity. A sculptor, urban planner, and community organiser, Gates brings life to abandoned buildings, turning entire blocks into arts incubators and maker spaces. Through art, he transforms neglected spaces into sources of pride and beauty, bringing historical memory into contemporary spaces. One of his powerful works, In Case of Race Riot, Break the Glass (2011), features fire hoses used against civil rights activists in the 1960s, encased in glass. By re-contextualizing these objects, Gates invites us to reflect on Black history's painful and triumphant elements.
His Dorchester Projects is a model for what I would call “spatial justice.” Gates creates art and builds environments that encourage education, interaction, and ownership, offering a framework for community revitalisation. This ethos has always inspired me and resonates with our theme of reclaiming narratives.
In Case of Race Riot Break the Glass (2011) at the National Gallery of Art's showing of Afro-Atlantic Histories in 2022By Original work: Theaster GatesDepiction: 19h00s - Own work, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70567915Paint & Sip: Creativity as Celebration
The evening concluded with a Paint & Sip, inviting everyone to unleash their creativity and connect. This was a space to experiment, play, and build connections, embracing the spirit of Ubunifu. Here, as in art, we are not just spectators but creators, capable of reclaiming our stories, expressing our truths, and transforming narratives in powerful, meaningful ways.
Each of these artists—Boyce, Basquiat, and Gates—exemplifies the power of reclaiming and reshaping narratives. As we celebrate Black History Month, remember that these stories are not only our past but an essential part of our future. We do not need permission to create—only a willingness to begin.
We made a playlist for this event; check it out below, and don’t forget your earphones :) and enjoy.