UK-Based Black Female Photographers: New Exhibition ‘We Are Here”
UK-Based Black Female Photographers: New Exhibition ‘We Are Here”
Founded in 2017 by Jemella Binns, owner of Mellz Photography LTDUK, Black Female Photographers (UKBFTOG) is a community group. They have several outlets to connect with each other, including a Facebook group, which has 250+ members.
On 25th-27th September, UKBTOG held an exhibition, entitled ‘We Are Here’ in Walsall. They’re now holding a micro-exhibition for all of Black History Month, based in Birmingham at the Medicine Bakery and Gallery.
Explaining how she created UKBTOG, Jemella shares “As a black female photographer, I always noticed that the industry is dominated by men and by white people. So, I wanted to know where the other black female photographers were. I put out a message on social media and, almost instantly, got loads of messages from people just like me.”
“Our work truly does matter. And I want people to not hide behind the scenes, but be at the front. I hope they get as much attention as possible”, Jemella adds.
Walsall-born photographer Denise Maxwell, who has become internationally renowned for snapping photos of celebs like Usain Bolt, assisted Jemella in organising the exhibition. We Are Here has a great display of black female photographers’ work.
Photo image: Black female photographer Dami
21 year old Dami exhibited at the first round of We Are Here. Sharing what work she had on display, she says:
‘‘My Black Hair Memoirs is my ongoing project exploring how Black people have every right to exist how they are, embracing their hair, skin tone, and identity, and thriving in this world.”
Explaining her thoughts on We Are Here, Dami says, ”This exhibition is so necessary. It shows how important our stories are and how we must keep sharing them, for the generations before us, with us and after us.”
Sponsored by Nikon, the We Are Here exhibition follows COVID safety restrictions. You can book a table at the exhibition, through Medicine Bakery and Gallery, for the remainder of October.
Written By: Maxine Harrison – a freelance writer and founder of the Remi Reports blog – a blog helping freelance creatives build their business and lifestyle. She has published pieces in The Independent and The Voice Newspaper.