Rosalin Krieger Visual Artist

There are non-Caribbean cultural critics that are absolutely justified in their gushing over Steve McQueen's Small Axe series. Some even understand the blues da...nce as a place of escape from the pressures and tribulations of daily existence which in the UK includes racism and the white gaze. I suppose this can be summed up as a UK Black thing but there is much more to it than that. Throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s reggae was the music of Black youth culture in the UK. To state the obvious, reggae has Jamaican origins. Where things get a little more complicated is that in the UK, reggae, and calypso too, become creatures of the Caribbean diaspora, not just Jamaica or Trinidad. That's depicted so well in McQueen's series without calling attention to itself. That Caribbean diaspora sensibility is also true in America and Canada. In fact the similarities between London and Toronto are startling. America expresses that in a different way but that's a discussion for a different day. Things get more complex when the Brits of Caribbean heritage create their own style of reggae, which is inspired by Jamaica but influenced by the music culture of where they live. I guess what I'm trying to say is that McQueen is exploring a specific Caribbean diaspora aesthetic not some amorphous Black one. He is very clear about this. It's in the work and he talks about it in interview. Note: Blues dance is a Yard term from the pre-ska era used by my parents generation. My generation in the UK held the term close to their chest refusing to let it go. Meanwhile in Jamaica and North America the term was replaced by 'sound system' or 'dancehall'.

Photographer Ella Cooper sharing her artistic, Jewish- Black infused Toronto Exhibition.

A dynamic group of Canadian and U.S. artists who identify as Black and Jewish come together for an unparalleled conversation on art and identity hosted by theat...re artist Kendell Pinkney. Ella Cooper, Rebecca S’manga Frank, Sara Yacobi-Harris and Anthony Russell each share projects that explore the intersection of Jewishness and Blackness through film, photography, music and performance. A not-to-be-missed evening of multi-disciplinary art and wide-ranging discussion! This online event is inspired by the current exhibition in Toronto's FENTSTER window gallery, WITNESS by Ella Cooper. Presented together by FENTSTER, KlezKanada, Museum of Jewish Montreal, The Jewish Theological Seminary, Asylum Arts, Reboot, Miles Nadal JCC, No Silence on Race and Jews of Colour Canada. Made possible through the ROI Community Grassroots Events program and participating partners.

Photographing work in progress helps me "see" it better and where I want to go.