The Barbican Music Library is currently hosting Black Sound London, an exhibition marking 100 years of Black British music, which will run until July 19. It traces the evolution of Black British music from the 1919 arrival of the Southern Syncopated Orchestra to contemporary artists.

The exhibition features various genres, showcasing how they have advanced from the margins to global prominence, including jazz, lovers’ rock, jungle, and grime along a century-long timeline. Co-curators Lloyd Bradley and Scott Leonard aim to highlight the unsung efforts of artists who pioneered their own spaces and audiences.

Scott Leonard mentioned the significance of the exhibition: “Too often in this country, Black cultural heritage is presented to the people by those that weren’t there… This type of exhibition… enables and empowers the British black music community to tell their stories.”

Visitors are encouraged to share their personal experiences, contributing to two scheduled heritage collection days, where memories will be recorded and items related to them will be 3D-scanned. The exhibition also includes diverse installations, magazine covers, vintage mixtapes, and more.

The Black Sound London exhibition at Barbican Music Library celebrates a century of Black British music by highlighting its genres and the artists’ journeys. It not only showcases historical developments but also engages the public in preserving Black cultural heritage through personal storytelling. The initiative aims to empower communities and ensure these critical narratives are not lost over time.

Original Source: mixmag.net

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