Recently, I had the poignant experience of meeting a brilliant artist. He is in his 70s. He had come to the UK from an African nation in the 1970s, a grateful son of empire who had found safety and a semblance of security in the embrace however grudging of the ones who had once been the oppressor. He didn’t have the networks, the know-how, the connectivity social capital or the presentational confidence to sell himself and thus, his work. There was fleeting interest by one of the national arts institutions in some pieces of his work and even an acquisition. But there was no follow-through. He fell into every day part-time non-arts occupations to make ends meet. And decades passed. Then, he was sitting in front of me, layers of dignity laid bare as he pleaded for an opportunity to earn not a living but something, anything, from his work. And I could offer nothing.
Just over a year ago, I shared the story of a brilliant 92 year old Caribbean lady whose poetry had moved seasoned arts professionals to tears. Sadly, Eula Harrison passed away before I found a way to realise our shared dream of having the collection of her poetry published.
Another recent encounter was with one of Latin America’s foremost musical prodigies of the 70s and 80s. Today, he is making ends meet by driving a London bus.
When we refer to supporting emerging artists, our default psyche type is of the next brilliant young thing. Yet, strewn all around us are human embodiments of artistic dreams deferred, creative juices placed on permanent ice while life gets in the way. What happens to the soul of frustrated talent, unexpressed brilliance, and unarticulated creative genius?
In 2024, I will do what I can to shine more light and use my little leverage to platform and support this hidden genre of emerging artistic talent, especially those of African heritage. The next best thing may just turn out to be a very old man. And if not, well, the stories we will be able to tell…!
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Culture, Identity, Global Affairs, Youth... 