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BLACK CLYDE
(ongoing)

OVERVIEW

how do we [now-then] see the ‘Clyde’ when framed by Blackness [?] and in turn[ing] see ‘Black/ness’ when echoed by the Clyde [?]

BLACK CLYDE draws reference from traditions of Black Atlantic cultural production and radical imagination to offer a complicating and thought-provoking exploration of identity; place; [burning hot] enduring legacies. Exclaiming the convergences of Black life and the locality of Glasgow and Scotland more widely.

the old t*ll (2024), single channel video, 1 min 50 secs.

Resonance with Sheneece Oretha’s research into the relationship sculpture and sound as seen through their work ‘TOLLED’.

The what remains and lives in felt and sensed frequencies.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION 1: Sand coloured, vase that flares out wide at the shoulder and then tapers back in towards the foot which is a similar width to the mouth on top. Inside the lip of the opening in thick, black handwriting are the words “HOLD ME”. In pencil thin black handwriting, trailing down the shoulder it says “A SCOT IS BLACK”. Below the shoulder it converges with the line “THE CLYDE IS WAS BLACK”. The base sits on an expansive surface of a similar colour. The background is a red sandstone brick wall.]

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION 3: A close-up of the rim of a ceramic vessel, showcasing a black band and the inscription "HOLD ME" written in black along the interior edge. The inscription is in a bold, handwritten style. The rim is slightly raised, creating a subtle border around the inscription.]

SEE WHEN VESSEL (2023), glazed ceramic, 17cm x 17cm x 22cm.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION 2: A text-based artwork on a dark background. The words "CAN NEVER SEE THE FINAL PICTURE" are written in bold, block letters with jagged, uneven edges. The letters ARE outlined in a bright yellow color, contrasting sharply with the dark background. The composition is chaotic.]

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION 4: The same vase as above, from another angle. On its surface is the word ‘SEE’ in thick, contorting black letters. In pencil thin black handwriting there is also a ‘?’ on the surface and the words ‘WHEN A A AM’. The vase sits in front of a red sandstone brick wall.]

ABOUT

BLACK CLYDE is a multi-faceted artistic exploration, delving into the complex relationship between Blackness and the River Clyde, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in South West Scotland. Rooted in personal experience, historical context, and extensive research, the project aims to agitate narratives that challenge conventional perceptions of this locale and locality in general.

Initiated in 2023, BLACK CLYDE has so far engaged in two overlapping but distinct stages:

PART 1: The Provocation (of what is the Clyde if Black)
PART 2: The Proclamation (of the Clyde is Black)

Through this research-based project, Zoë has created a diverse range of artworks, including a short moving image work, ceramic vessels and sculptures, and text-based / letter drawings. These works assemble together to invite viewers to reconsider the intersections of race, place, and history; remxing these relations to elucidate portals to multiple spatiotemporal registers.

COLLABORATORS

Żżo / Zoë Charlery
bury heal nella
‘the brake.’ (iteration 1) spatial contributors including Dr Sequoia Barnes and Ashley Holmes

zoetumika.com 2024

BLACK CLYDE (ongoing)

BLACK CLYDE
(ongoing)