Oil on Canvas
101 x 82 cm
A Comedy of Race
2020
As race exists insofar as people use it to identify themselves and others racially it is susceptible to changes in the ideological climate. Comedy provides insight into such relations, its presses upon the root of which is often fractious to discuss, it draws on the contradictions of social conventions and the release of laughter confirms a shared belief between the audience and the originator.
A Comedy of Race, an installation of six portraits and wall panels traces how characterisations of race in comedy performances have evolved. It contrasts seventeenth-century Spanish court’s jester performances with Felix Dexter’s comedy about the trials of being black in 1990’s Britain. This installation focuses on the dynamics between the creator, performer and the audience around the subject.
Oil on Canvas
150 x 100 cm
2020
Oil on Canvas
225 x 184 cm