New portrait exhibition celebrates African and Caribbean heritage at UCL
4 November 2024
The rich heritage of African and Caribbean staff at UCL, along with their invaluable contributions to education, research, professional services and university life, is celebrated in a new photographic exhibition.
‘100 UCL Employees: How You See Us’ features photo portraits of 100 members of staff from across the institution and highlights a vast array of specialists and roles, including engineers, teaching fellows, HR and legal professionals, communicators, facilities and security staff.
The exhibition launched at a special event on October 31st, marking the end of Black History Month (BHM), and is initially being held at UCL's Bartlett School of Architecture at 22 Gordon Street, for six weeks before going on tour to other parts of UCL.
Along with showcasing the important roles African and Caribbean staff play in every aspect of UCL, the exhibition is intended to shine a spotlight on individuals for many months, far longer than BHM allows.
Explaining the importance of the exhibition, Co-Curator and Project Manager Teresa Dawkins, who is the PhD Student Adviser within The Bartlett, UCL's Faculty of the Built Environment, said: “This is a wonderfully unique collection of 100 African and Caribbean portraits capturing the rich diversity of experiences from right across our UCL community, and celebrates the heritage, culture and vital contributions of these individuals.
““Each portrait is accompanied by a personal audio narrative, inviting you to hear firsthand the stories, passions, and interests of the individuals behind the images. These narratives foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of who they truly are.”
The idea for the exhibition was borne out of inspiration from other portrait exhibitions visited by Teresa, in particular one she visited two years ago called ‘Entwined’ by Cherron Lee Johnson. A small collection of six portraits giving interconnected insight to the lives of those featured.
UCL staff who identified as African and Caribbean were invited to participate and were asked to reach out to other colleagues to declare an interest in also taking part.
On seeing her portrait for the first time, Chris Brew-Graves said: "I clicked on a link to the 100 UCL Employees and I saw a beautiful, but simple photo of me in BLACK and white, no colour. Even though for the 27/28 years I worked at UCL I never stopped to think whether or not I belonged. I felt a deep sense of belonging, until it hit me, I did not realise it was not there."
Reflecting on his involvement in the project, Jamal Russell Black, who researches issues surrounding energy poverty and building decarbonization, said: “Visibility is a word that elicits a lot of emotions for me. Throughout my life, I have felt unimaginably visible when it came to, for example, experiences with racial profiling by police. On the other hand, I have all too often felt impossibly invisible in both academic institutions and professional workspaces. In a sense, both boil down to another important word: representation.
“" I hope through my participation to help increase the visible representation of black people across UCL and beyond. To be another swing of the hammer against the barriers of inequity.”
Photographer Richard Stonehouse from Stonehouse Photographic took all the photos at the Bartlett School of Architecture and individuals were free to choose what they wore.
Jonathan Tyrrell, Director of Exhibitions at the Bartlett School of Architecture, enhanced the sound quality of their personal stories, that visitors can listen to while viewing the individual’s portrait.
Drew Pessoa, Senior Teaching and Learning Administrator in the Bartlett School of Architecture, said:
“"Having my story and my presence captured in such a meaningful way feels empowering, not just for me, but for others who may see themselves in it. It’s a reminder that our stories, our contributions, and our presence matter—and that representation is a powerful tool for change."
Co-Curator and Project Manager Sara Shafiei, who is Vice Dean of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, said: “Launching on the final day of Black History Month, this exhibition serves as a powerful reminder that the acknowledgment and celebration of these contributions by African and Caribbean staff must live beyond a single moment in time and be woven into the fabric of our everyday culture and appreciation at UCL.
““We invite the public to engage with the exhibition, immerse yourself in these powerful stories, and participate in conversations that reflect the rich tapestry of our community.”
Teresa and Sara added: “Our heartfelt thanks go to the 100 UCL employees who generously shared their stories and portraits to this exhibition. Your openness and participation have made this celebration possible. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.”
“I felt an overwhelming sense of belonging and joy” said Galila Khougali, a PhD researcher at the UCL Energy Institute who was photographed for the exhibition.
““Our portraits, our stories—all woven together—create a tapestry of resilience, identity, and shared heritage that speaks deeply to who we are and what we bring to UCL.”
This exhibition is more than a moment of personal recognition; it is a celebration of our journeys and an invitation to engage in the broader, ongoing conversation around representation and community.”
The exhibition is sponsored by The Bartlett, UCL's Faculty of the Built Environment, the UCL EDI Contribution and Engagement Fund, the UCL Student Success Office and the Provost’s office.
‘100 UCL Employees: How You See Us’ is based at the Ground Floor Exhibition Space, 22 Gordon Street, London, WC1H OQB, and is open to the public from 1st November 2024 through to 14th December 2024. It will then be relocated to other parts of UCL – locations to be decided – in the New Year.
Image
- Portraits: Credit: Richard Stonehouse - Stonehouse Photographic (top to bottom) Chris Brew-Graves, Giles Narty, Jamal Russell-Black, Drew Pessoa, Professor Moses Oketch, Galila Khougali, Natasha Otto
- Exhibition launch: Credit: James Tye / UCL
Links
- ONE100 UCL Employees - audio narratives
- ONE100 UCL Employees - full photograph gallery
- The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment
- UCL Student Success
Media contact
Sophie Hunter
sophie.hunter [at] ucl.ac.uk