23 September–29 October 2023
Unearthed Collective was a paid group of local artists, curators and neighbours, who met monthly at Studio Voltaire from December 2022–December 2023 to investigate Clapham’s community and history through the lens of creative practice.
Unearthed Collective were Chika Afam, Ally Appau, Ariel Collier, Allysa Gatinao, Lottie Gomes, Mercedes Halliday, Paul Halliday, Kate McKenzie and Jodi Miller.
Unearthed Collective sought to interrogate what constitutes collective memory, how particular histories are imprinted and why some histories are buried in the first place. Working in partnership with local organisations, archives and community members, their work examined patterns of dispersion and places of gathering. Throughout the twelve-month programme, the resident-led research group met to reflect on personal and social histories relating to Clapham, investigating forgotten histories of the local community and exploring creative modes of presenting them.
Where can we be heard? was an exhibition that culminated the group’s research and practice, presenting the Collective’s creative explorations of Clapham’s lesser-known twentieth-century histories through research, talks, walks and visits. Where can we be heard? asked who gets to decide what stories and places are remembered. The exhibition combined photography, printed matter, oral recordings and archival material to foreground both found and personal stories of their locality.
Unearthed Collective partnered with Lambeth Archives to enter research, documentation and footage into their archives, ensuring this knowledge would remain accessible to future generations.
This exhibition formed part of Unearthed: Collective Histories supported by Historic England’s Everyday Heritage Grants and Hartfield Foundation. With kind assistance from London Transport Museum, Black Cultural Archives and This is Clapham.
Starting with a unique idea of unearthing histories left untold, informed by both the institution and the community as a generative rather than extractive practice, Unearthed Collective was born. Serving opportunities for budding artists, curators and neighbours interested in giving back to their community in a creative way are able to get paid for putting together an exhibition, tour and event focused on our findings.
Unearthed Collective: Where can we be heard? 2023. Images courtesy of Studio Voltaire. Photography by Zoë Maxwell
