Earlier works in the ‘Shock and Awe’ series reflect upon historical events of conflict and warfare involving Britain and the colonised nations of the British Empire, shown alongside portraits of Black British soldiers more recently retired or discharged from service.  Acknowledging a persisting absence of representation, the first exhibition of the work took place at Midlands Arts Centre (Birmingham, UK) in 2016 and concentrated upon the contributions of Black servicemen and women to the British Armed Forces and war efforts from 1914 to the present day. 

Large-scale drawings depict soldiers from the British West Indies Regiment and the King’s African Rifles, among others. Women from the Caribbean and West India Regiments during World War II feature prominently, addressing gender and the overlooked role of the female workforce.  Later works in the series expand beyond Britain and the British Commonwealth to consider the Black experience within a wider Western context, considering the deployment of Black soldiers in the armies of allied European nations and the United States.

Poignant and affecting, ‘Shock and Awe’ alludes to the physical and psychological impact of conflict, and to the often-turbulent return to civilian life after war.  As nations commemorated the centenary of World War I, the work made space for stories that had remained largely untold.

‘Shock and Awe’ was originally commissioned by Midlands Arts Centre in 2016, with an exhibition curated by Lynda Morris and Craig Ashley.  It was realised with support from the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, The John Feeney Charitable Trust, and Arts Council England.

Photography by Chris Keenan and courtesy of Alan Cristea Gallery.