“The Untouched Collection” - Residency at Bromley House Library

Untitled, 2019, etching printed onto

ecoprinted paper, 15x10 cm

From February, visual artist Céline Siani Djiakoua will be the new artist in residence at Bromley House for her project titled “The Untouched Collection”. Céline will be researching the 19th century collection of travelling books and autobiographies, collecting illustrations of African nature. Using personal and mythological narratives, she will be exploring issues of de/colonisation. Working in collaboration with Broadway Near Now and Loughborough University workshops (AA2A scheme), she will create new interactive work, which will be exhibited within the library, at Broadway Gallery and Loughborough University. During her project, to contribute to the topics of her research, she has invited two other artists who will share their work and offer workshops.

Project supported by the Arts Council.

A few dates :

17th February - 15th March
Researching the collection, Céline will be within the building and available for informal conversations.

15th February – 1-3 pm
“Yams, hormones and bioprospecting: from Buffelskloof to Beeston” - Rebecca Beinart
Throughout the 1950s, Boots were importing 100s of tons of a remarkable looking, exotic sounding tuber from South Africa to Nottingham – the Elephant’s Foot Yam. They were using this as an essential starting material for the production of cortisone, which had recently been discovered as a new ‘wonder drug’. Join us for a hands-on workshop to uncover this story and its connection to indigenous knowledge, colonial plant-hunting, pharmaceutical drugs, and conservation, and explore recipes and records from the archive. Through a practical activity, participants are invited to work directly with material from the archives – bringing these histories into dialogue with contemporary experiences of hormones and health.
More about Rebecca Beinart’s work : https://rebeccabeinart.info/

18th February – 2.30-4.30 pm
“Herstory: Jamaica and Her Daughters” - Ioney Smallhorne
Join Nottingham poet and writer Ioney Smallhorne, as she shares some of her most recent work from her MA dissertation research project, Herstory; Jamaica and Her Daughters. Ioney’s writing travels 500 years of Jamaica’s pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial history mapping the female experiences. Through poetry and prose, you will unearth the often forgotten voices of the Taino women, the forbidden but unrelenting voices of African women, of English and Irish female pirates, indentured laborers and plantation owners, of the female Indian and Chinese indentured laborers, of the women who hold multiple ‘voices’ in their blood line and women of the Windrush era, catapulting you to modern day where Ioney infuses her personal history with the modern political landscape. You will be encouraged to put pen to paper, using a personal object or photo of your choosing, that represents or evokes stories of your own history as inspiration for new writing.

More about Ioney Smallhorne’s work : https://ioneysmallhorne.wordpress.com/

7th March – 1 – 3 pm
“For the love of books” - Céline Siani Djiakoua
Come and explore Céline’s work in progress as she will be sharing her research’s findings from Bromley House’s 19th century collection of travelling books and autobiographies. You will be able to discover some of her artist’s books and artwork samples. Join in an informal conversation and take part in a simple folded book making activity (no prior experience involved).

To book the workshops, please contact the library: enquiries@bromleyhouse.org or call 0115 947 3134