We Out Here is an exhibition featuring six Black UK artists

About WE OUT HERE 2023

Exhibition Date: 1st April to 4th June 2023
Wednesday to Sunday 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.

Exhibition location: Hastings Contemporary (HC), Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW
Wraparound events and activities happen at HC and various Hastings locations.

WE OUT HERE (WOH) was a groundbreaking exhibition showcasing the work of six Black artists of Caribbean heritage based in Hastings curated by Lorna Hamilton-Brown.

The artists created new culturally-specific artworks and collaborated to produce a distinctive, large-scale, multi-media show. Working in different mediums, the themes explored include: migration, Black lives in coastal towns, relationships with the sea, climate justice and racial injustice, fast fashion and the Black presence in crafts.

WOH speaks to and engages with the Black and wider communities in Hastings. Complementing the show in the Foreshore Gallery will be a range of creative activities, events and discussions. We Out Here was complemented offsite with a series of community-based activities and workshops which aimed to encourage art engagement.

The project was led by local artist Lorna Hamilton-Brown RCA MBE – known as the ‘Banksy’ of the knitting world for her use of the medium for social commentary. For WOH, Lorna created a new ‘WE MEK’ knitted magazine cover – The Windrush 75 Issue.

It featured the celebrated author of Small Island, the late Andrea Levy and commemorated the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush carrying passengers from the Caribbean to the UK.

“We Out Here has given me the chance to bring together Hastings-based Black artists who I admire, from a range of disciplines to create an historic exhibition. We have been hidden in plain sight for too long, but WE OUT HERE!”
– Lorna Hamilton-Brown

Artists who took part in the exhibition were:

This is the quick link to all audio and video recordings

Below are the individual links:

Artist Essays (Audio)
Songs of the Sea // Eugene Palmer
Let’s Talk // Maggie Scott
The Larger Conversation // Richard M Rawlins
The Art of Knitting // Lorna Hamilton-Brown
Handcrafting Black histories and using stichted leather to form the artwork FROM // Paul Hope
C027:Blue TEars abd OG: A Kind of Blue // Elaine Mullings

Discussion
WOH Artist Paul Hope In Conversation African art collector Robert Mucci.

Video recordings:

All exhibition Artists in conversation held on Saturday 15th April 2023.

Subversive Catwalk: Women, Fast Fashion and Climate Crisis led
by Artist Maggie Scott and a:dress.fashion
Sunday 21st May, 2023.

WE OUT HERE – Virtual discussion panel with the Heritage Crafts Association Hosted by: Mary Lewis, Endangered Crafts Manager of the Heritage Crafts Association. Held on 26th April 2023.

The Black Presence in Craft discussion led by Rose Sinclair with Lorna Hamilton-Brown, Elaine Mullings, Maggie Scott and Paul Hope. Held on Tuesday 30th May 2023.

Can I live? Part 1 – Q&A with artist Maggie Scott and Fehinti Balogun
Can I live? Part 2 – Q&A with artist Maggie Scott and Fehinti Balogun