Windrush 6 - The Background’s Too Strong, It Needs To Be Whiter.
150cms x 100cms wideThe latest addition to my Windrush quilt series, is a piece called “The background’s too strong, it needs to be whiter,” and it features the dynamic figure of Benjamin Zephaniah, captured in a moment of dance on stage.
This quilt, the second I’ve created featuring Benjamin, stems from a piece of cloth printed with images of Birmingham from an old sketchbook of mine. When I first saw the cloth, I felt the background was too overpowering, so I used white paint to tone it down and bring balance to the piece. This act of altering the background inspired the quilt’s title. The text is still very readable but to maintain the balance, it also has a slight covering of white paint.
Benjamin Zephaniah, a renowned poet, writer, and musician, is an emblematic figure whose work and presence resonate deeply with the themes of the Windrush generation; his mother coming to Birmingham from Jamaica in 1957. I’ve tried to capture his vibrant energy and commitment to social justice in this piece, hopefully reflecting the strength and resilience of the Windrush community.
Both of my Benjamin Zephaniah quilts will be exhibited at the Leamington Art Gallery from January to May 2025 as part of my Windrush series, and the wider exhibition of textiles: “Unravelling History – Unpicking The Archives and Reworking Textile Traditions”. This exhibition is not only an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the rich cultural heritage and enduring legacy of the Windrush generation, but to see work by other artists inspired by the Art Gallery and Museum’s collections.
Process photos
Mounted on canvas and framed. Stitched and painted portrait, free hand machine stitch using Benjamin’s words (with kind permission of Benjamin Zephaniah)
Benjamin Zephaniah is one of Britain’s most influential contemporary poets. I wanted this first of two pieces, to be a simple portrait and continue the theme of the Windrush series of quilts, all of which will be on show in Leamington in 2025, with their themes of settlement, identity and transformation. Benjamin, and the wider Caribbean migration of Windrush, has shaped the cultural fabric of the UK.
The private image I’ve used for this stitched and painted portrait was provided by Benjamin’s wife Qian, and captures a moment of pure joy – he looks so happy.
The background will be 24ct gold leaf and I hope this makes it a little like an icon, and that it also brings luxury and significance. The words stitched on the quilt, with kind permission of Benjamin himself, will be from the poem “The Men From Jamaica Are Settling Down” and are a direct reference to Windrush and the problems and joys of migration, settlement and integration.+
All images subject to copyright. ©Annabel Rainbow 2024Windrush 5 “Icon”
82cms x 82cms, framed