Black History Month in Birmingham: The World Reimagined at the Bullring

BirminghamWorld meets one of the artists behind the though-provoking The World Reimagined exhibition at the Bullring until October 31
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Overlooking St. Martin’s Square on the The Balcony at Bullring, a new art exhibition called The World Reimagined is on display, It’s aim is to highlight how the UK’s past relationship with the transatlantic slave trade shapes our future - and how to make racial justice a reality. We speak to one of the artists about what inspired her work.

The World Reimagined appearing in Birmingham coincides with Black History Month here in the UK. Observing the unique struggles and accomplishments of black people who have contributed to the tapestry of British society, it offers an opportunity for communities to come together to better understand their own history.

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Pauline Bailey, a visual artist and creator behind one of the stunning pieces says: “Well, The World Reimagined project is probably the largest arts and education project kind of ever been done really, because it’s across the whole of the UK.

“And there’s something like about eight cities involved. And it’s really to look at, you know, how we see what remembering and having conversations about the transatlantic trade of enslaved Africans, and how we reimagine the world and how we talk about racial justice.”

The World Reimagined, BirminghamThe World Reimagined, Birmingham
The World Reimagined, Birmingham

Pauline adds: “Well, this piece - my theme - was expanding souls. And at first I was thinking - how the hell am I going to do that when, you know, what does that really mean? And after having a conversation with the commissioners, we kind of decided that I could do something that’s about what Africa has given the world. And then thinking like this quite a lot, and we’re going to get all that on a globe.”

Pauline says: “Black History Month is important. And I get that, you know, we should celebrate it. Although I think Black history is important every month, really. It’s part of our shared history, and everyone should be having conversations about that. Everyone should be, you know, looking at all the things, the contributions, that the black community have made across the world.”

The World Reimagined, BirminghamThe World Reimagined, Birmingham
The World Reimagined, Birmingham
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The World Reimagined will be on display here in Birmingham until 31st October, where ten of the globes are displayed, each representing an artists interpretation of the stages following the inception of the transatlantic slave trade.

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