The demographic of UK heritage conservation professionals currently demonstrates a clear under-representation of black and minority ethnic individuals. Kendall Francis one of Britain’s first Black female conservators , will be in conversation with the art and cultural historian Michael Ohajuru to raise awareness of the issues and explore solutions to this lack of diversity.
We will also find out about Kendall’s unique and fascinating career in art and heritage conservation and how others can get involved.
Ms Francis will be addressing some of the specific issues and barriers that result in exclusion and inequity, of black and ethnic minorities in art heritage and conservation, based on her own lived experiences, the impact of some of those difficulties and ways to overcome.
Here is a link to Kendall’s insightful article ‘The absence of black and ethnic minority representation in UK heritage conservation and the value of including diverse voices’ https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/5WDA9KK9TFVNK8AAGQST/full?target=10.1080/19455224.2021.1974066
This is an online talk at 6.30pm UK time and will be delivered via Zoom. Please check your JUNK MAIL for the confirmation and reminder emails
This event is organised by Black History Walks in conjunction with Image of the Black in London Galleries
Other coming events from Black History Walks
- Wednesday 3rd November (ONLINE) British Black Power: Leila Hassan Howe
- Thursday 4th November (ONLINE) Darcus Howe a personal journey with commentary from Leila Hassan Howe
- Friday 5th November (PHYSICAL) film at BFI Southbank ‘Cause for Concern’ 1968. Darcus Howe takes on Metropolitan Police racism in this very rare TV broadcast of the Black community standing up to institutional racism.
- Saturday 6th November (PHYSICAL) 11am to 7pm. Full day of films featuring Darcus Howe including rare episodes of Bandung File, Devils Advocate. Plus on stage interviews and Q&A’s with his contemporaries.
- Black History at GCSE Level, the new Pearson textbook for schools based on our Notting Hill Black History Walks
- How to rip off Black Historians, a tale of copying and greed
- The Black History of Battlestar Galactica
- Black History River Cruise
- Black Cowboys and Cowgirls real and imagined
Details at www.blackhistorywalks.co.uk
Watch out for our book ‘Black History Walks in London Volume 1’. This is part of Jacaranda Books revolutionary Twenty in 2020 initiative to publish 20 books by 20 Black British authors in 2020. An unprecedented feat. ‘Black History Walks in London Volume 1’ is the 20th of that series but was delayed to this year due to the Coronavirus.
Bio for Kendall Francis Painting Conservator
Kendall Francis received a PGDIP in easel painting conservation from The Courtauld Institute of Art and is currently a Conservation Fellow at the National Gallery, London. She has completed internships in museums and private studios across the UK and Europe. Kendall completed her postgraduate thesis on the materials and techniques of Willem Van de Velde the Younger with the National Maritime Museum, London, and is currently undertaking a long-term research project looking into the legacies of colonialism, slavery and exploitation in artists’ materials. Kendall is also enthusiastic about advancing accessibility, diversity and inclusion in art heritage for disadvantaged young people and black & ethnic minorities. She participates in multiple heritage diversity and inclusion committees including Conservation engagement and outreach initiatives.
Bio for Michael Ohajuru Senior Fellow of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies.
Blogs, writes and speaks regularly on the Black presence in Renaissance Europe. Has spoken at the National Gallery, Tate Britain, British Library, National Archives and the Victoria Albert Museum. Featured in TV programs on BBC, ITV and Channel 5. Founder of Image of the Black in London Galleries a series of gallery tours , the Project Director and Chief Evangelist of The John Blanke Project: an Art and Archive project celebrating John Blanke the Black trumpeter to courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII , co-convener of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies What’s Happening in Black British History series of workshops and founder member of the Black Presence in British Portraiture network