New portrait exhibition celebrates African and Caribbean heritage at ...

The rich heritage of African and Caribbean staff at UCL, along with their invaluable contributions to education, research, professional services and university life, is celebrated in a new photographic exhibition.

‘100 UCL Employees: How You See Us’ features photo portraits of 100 members of staff from across the institution and highlights a vast array of specialists and roles, including engineers, teaching fellows, HR and legal professionals, communicators, facilities and security staff.

The exhibition launched at a special event on October 31st, marking the end of Black History Month (BHM), and is initially being held at UCL's Bartlett School of Architecture at 22 Gordon Street, for six weeks before going on tour to other parts of UCL.

Along with showcasing the important roles African and Caribbean staff play in every aspect of UCL, the exhibition is intended to shine a spotlight on individuals for many months, far longer than BHM allows.

Explaining the importance of the exhibition, Co-Curator and Project Manager Teresa Dawkins, who is the PhD Student Adviser within The Bartlett, UCL's Faculty of the Built Environment, said: “This is a wonderfully unique collection of 100 African and Caribbean portraits capturing the rich diversity of experiences from right across our UCL community, and celebrates the heritage, culture and vital contributions of these individuals.

““Each portrait is accompanied by a personal audio narrative, inviting you to hear firsthand the stories, passions, and interests of the individuals behind the images. These narratives foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of who they truly are.”

The idea for the exhibition was borne out of inspiration from other portrait exhibitions visited by Teresa, in particular one she visited two years ago called ‘Entwined’ by Cherron Lee Johnson. A small collection of six portraits giving interconnected insight to the lives of those featured.

UCL staff who identified as African and Caribbean were invited to participate and were asked to reach out to other colleagues to declare an interest in also taking part.

Photographer Richard Stonehouse from Stonehouse Photographic took all the photos at the Bartlett School of Architecture and individuals were free to choose what they wore.

Jonathan Tyrrell, Director of Exhibitions at the Bartlett School of Architecture, enhanced the sound quality of their personal stories, that visitors can listen to while viewing the individual’s portrait.

Co-Curator and Project Manager Sara Shafiei, who is Vice Dean of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, said: “Launching on the final day of Black History Month, this exhibition serves as a powerful reminder that the acknowledgment and celebration of these contributions by African and Caribbean staff must live beyond a single moment in time and be woven into the fabric of our everyday culture and appreciation at UCL.

““We invite the public to engage with the exhibition, immerse yourself in these powerful stories, and participate in conversations that reflect the rich tapestry of our community.”

Teresa and Sara added: “Our heartfelt thanks go to the 100 UCL employees who generously shared their stories and portraits to this exhibition. Your openness and participation have made this celebration possible. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.”

The exhibition is sponsored by The Bartlett, UCL's Faculty of the Built Environment, the UCL EDI Contribution and Engagement Fund, the UCL Student Success Office and the Provost’s office.

‘100 UCL Employees: How You See Us’ is based at the Ground Floor Exhibition Space, 22 Gordon Street, London, WC1H OQB, and is open to the public from 1st November 2024 through to 14th December 2024. It will then be relocated to other parts of UCL – locations to be decided – in the New Year.

Image Portraits: Credit: Richard Stonehouse - Stonehouse Photographic (top to bottom) Chris Brew-Graves, Giles Narty, Jamal Russell-Black, Drew Pessoa, Professor Moses Oketch, Galila Khougali, Natasha OttoExhibition launch: Credit: James Tye / UCLMedia contact Sophie Hunter

sophie.hunter [at] ucl.ac.uk