Shire Hall Museum in Dorchester is hosting an emotive photography exhibition from Robert Golden, offering an intimate insight into the lives and experiences of the Windrush generation, 25 years after their arrival in the UK.
Opening on Friday 27 September, Searching for the Motherland features over 50 photographs of London’s Windrush generation and their families during the 1970’s. The images capture the daily experiences and challenges faced by this community. Robert Golden describes his creative process as “I wasn’t photographing events so much as photographing people’s pain, hardship and joy”.
Manchester based photographer/choreographer Benji Reid says of Robert’s work,
“Golden’s unobtrusive documentary style is a testament to his deep respect for his subjects. He acts as a clear vessel, allowing the viewer to see directly into the hearts and souls of the people he photographs and films. His work does not seek to sensationalize or overwhelm with grandiosity but instead focuses on the quiet, often overlooked moments of deep contemplation and everyday existence. These are the moments when his subjects, absorbed in their own world, forget the camera’s presence and simply exist—whether they are engrossed in their work, lost in a dance, or singing with abandon.”
Robert Golden’s photographs will be accompanied by newly commissioned work from Shaniqua Benjamin, a poet, writer, art activist, and Croydon’s first Poet Laureate. Inspired by Searching for the Motherland, Shaniqua has written poems which relate and engage with the photographs.
Robert Golden said
“These pictures are about creating image equivalents to my underlying always evolving story: that too many human beings are in struggle against economic, bureaucratic and political bullies, and that many of those in struggle possess dignity and untold strengths and even as they are forced to carry unacceptable burdens, they do so with grace and modesty; both worthy of embracing, celebrating and admiring.”
A Grade I listed building, Shire Hall was Dorset’s centre of justice from 1797 until 1955. Now an award-winning social justice museum, Shire Hall Museum brings over 200 years of justice and injustice to life.
Virginia Smith, Director at Shire Hall Museum, said:
“As a social justice museum, our mission is to engage visitors with the history of justice and injustice, inspiring them to make a difference to society, politics and justice for all. Searching for the Motherland explores ideas of belonging, cultural difference and the ways people respond to social change- themes which are just as relevant and poignant today as they were when these photographs were taken in the 1970s. Working with Robert Golden to display his photographs is a privilege- his passion and dedication to social justice and equality is inspiring and so evident in the work he’s created. We’re looking forward to sharing this impactful exhibition with our visitors.”
Searching for the Motherland is on display at Shire Hall Museum from Friday 27th September to Saturday 16th November. Entry to the exhibition is included with a Museum ticket.
To find out more about Searching for the Motherland please visit shirehalldorset.org
Robert Golden’s photography is available through https://www.topfoto.co.uk/collections/robert-golden/ and his web site https://robertgoldenpictures.com
This image was taken from the Geograph project collection. See this photograph’s page on the Geograph website for the photographer’s contact details. The copyright on this image is owned by Sandy Gerrard and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.
About Shire Hall Museum
Shire Hall Museum brings over 200 years of justice and injustice to life. An interactive ‘living’ museum, it uses real-life stories and iPad guides to let visitors walk in the footsteps of those whose lives were changed or even ended by their experiences in there.
Shire Hall’s impressive courtroom is best known as the setting for the trial of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, who were sentenced to transportation to Australia in 1824. The backlash that followed their harsh punishment, which saw thousands marching through the streets of London calling for justice, would lead to the formation of the modern-day Trade Union movement.
Shire Hall Museum opened to the public in May 2018, following extensive restoration work to the building that dates back to the 18th Century. The museum’s aim is to help everyone explore the history of law and order, as well as past and present efforts to achieve justice for all people.
As a registered charity, Shire Hall Museum is increasingly reliant on the support of individuals, charitable trusts and companies. The income generated from ticket sales, the café and shop, commercial activity and grants from public funding sources help Shire Hall greatly and is invaluable in supporting the museum’s on-going mission.
