Black Women in Photography: Reframing the Narrative

Join us in conversation with a panel of Black women working across the photography industry as they discuss the importance of self-representation at every level of the image making process. Spoken word poet FLOetic Lara will warm up the space for us on the night with her soulful poems about women, identity and taking up space.

In an industry where the representation of women of colour is still frequently shaped by the white male gaze, this event looks to take a journey to a place where we can explore how we can reshape that narrative.

This event will be led by author of Negative Space, Bella Okuya who over the space of one year interviewed and photographed ten women of colour working in photography. She will be joined by two of the featured women: photographer Oluwatosin Daniju and co-founder of production company Gather, Virigila Facey.

Oluwatosin Daniju has a focus mainly on theatre, portraiture, and documentary, Oluwatosin Daniju uses photography and moving image to explore ideas around identity, home, loss and belonging from a person-centred therapeutic viewpoint.

Since 2007, she has created a vast portfolio, with the thread of documenting running through her work, whatever the genre; ultimately she sees photography first and foremost as an act of bearing witness.

Oluwatosin has shown work individually and in group exhibitions in the UK and abroad, and regularly features in various print and online publications. She is a member of GEM (Geographies of Embodiment) Collective, a group of public scholars demanding and embodying liberation, who produce and share knowledge through projects that honour lived experience as a legitimate and valuable source of knowledge. How We Build Home, a project she co-developed with the late Dr Azeezat Johnson (founder of GEM), was shown at Museum of the Home from July 2022 until January 2023.

Lara Lee aka FLOetic Lara is a Brixton born artist with a multicultural heritage which inspires her music, theatre & poetry. Lee has worked for over 12 years in the Arts as a live performance artist & creative workshop practitioner.

Sharing her passion for music & theatre with youth development, mental health & wellbeing and arts in the community, FLO is an experienced live performance artist, singer, poet, actress and activist.

Lee infuses rich, warm soulful tones injected with distinctive jazz undertones in her emotional poetry and song. Since the age of 17, she has carefully crafted her unique style on stages as Far as Africa, Thailand, Australia and Jamaica and legendary venues such as Ronnie Scotts, Jazz Cafe London, St James Palace and the 02 Brixton Academy. She has worked with artists such as Sir Tom Jones, Omar, Ed Sheeran & Don E. Her debut project was recorded in the legendary Bob Marley Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica with full live band. Currently recording her new EP, Lee will be giving old and new fans an exciting blend of juicy sonics, lyrical content & energetic live performances.

Virgilia Lee Facey is a Co-Founder & Business Director at Gather, a purpose led creative production company that connects brands and agencies to inclusive shoot teams. As a woman of colour working in the industry, Virgilia uses her experience in DEI to champion underrepresented groups and advocate for inclusion in front of and behind the lens.

Prior to Gather, Virgilia challenged barriers to access in photography for the Black and POC community through the diversity initiative, The Colour Balance. During its six years of operation as a non-profit organisation, The Colour Balance created a legacy of impact through workshops, resources, exhibitions, and talks made free and accessible to its community members.

Bella Okuya is visual artist and curator working across moving image, photography, and installation. Her work primarily revolves around navigating collective experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) communities.

She is a Fulbright scholar in Photography with Parsons, The New School, New York. She has created two publications, a Mayor of London, Culture Seeds funded participatory photo zine about sight loss in the London, and a recent Kickstarter campaign funded photo book about women of colour in photography called Negative Space.

Everyone is welcome at Autograph. Planning a visit? Have a look at our Visit Us page to find out more about getting to the gallery, accessibility and more.

Limited tickets: This is an intimate event with a limited amount of tickets. We highly recommend booking a ticket in advance.

Accessible venue: Autograph welcomes people with all types of disabilities.

Step free: Our building and entrance is step free. A wheelchair accessible lift goes to all floors.

Location: This event will take place in the Studio on the ground floor.

Seated event: This event will be seated.

Each year, Autograph has an Open Call for event proposals from emerging cultural producers who are working on a new or early stage project. For successful applicants, Autograph provides a budget, curatorial fee, and support to help make the event happen. This event is a result of our 2023 Open Call: Identity and Self-Representation.

Autograph's events are popular, and often sell out. We recommend booking a ticket in advance. If you need to cancel your ticket for any reason, you can receive a refund up to 24 hours before the start of the event. You do not need to bring your paper ticket to the event.

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

Autograph ABP Registered in England no. 2285116 | Registered Charity no. 1127712

Images: 1) Cover of Negative Space publication [detail]. © and courtesy Bella Okuya. 2) Autograph, London. Photograph by Kate Elliott.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Autograph, Rivington Place, London, United Kingdom

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