'My Fruits' is a multimedia play about a Black British family's experience of racism in 1970s London. The show explores the lives of my mum and her siblings, delving into their childhood experiences of racism and its lasting effects. It follows their arrival on a London council estate, the first Black family to be housed there, continuing into their present day reflections on this shared past. ‘My Fruits’ presents a counter-narrative to the monocultural way in which British history is commonly presented. The piece invites its audience to reimagine a sense of British national identity that incorporates the experiences of ordinary, Black Britons.
I created this piece as part of an extended research project into how Black British histories may be documented in a way that resists reinforcing (neo)colonial ideas of the Other. As cultural organisations look to decolonise their curating and exhibitory practices, this project emphasises the importance of providing the space for communities of colour to creatively engage with the archival materials that document their heritage. In doing so, museums and galleries can unearth little-known histories, offer new perspectives, and invite people to meaningfully engage with the past.
