She Ain’t Holding Them Up, She’s Holding On (Some English Rose)

Sonia Boyce represents herself with her family in this work, which takes inspiration from Frida Kahlo’s My Grandparents, My Parents and I (1936). The title and narrative suggest that Boyce is balancing an Afro-Caribbean heritage with her own identity as a black British woman. The background is evocative of the late nineteenth-century wallpaper designs of William Morris. At the top edge, a scene from a tropical landscape is visible. The figure’s dress is patterned with roses, a symbol of English beauty, but the flowers are uncharacteristically black, signifying an intersection between notions of ‘blackness’ and ‘Britishness’. The work addresses themes of integration and intercultural exchange through this mix of multiple historical, intellectual and visual references.

[above text from 'History Repeats Itself' exhibition 17/02/18 - 07/10/18]

“This work reflects how to establish a new life by creating a new identity. It also gives us, as people who came from different countries, hope to build new life. Life could start any time or place, just trust yourself.” – Ausama Al Khalil

Sonia Boyce is a prominent British–Afro Caribbean artist associated with the black British art movement that emerged in the 1980s. This work, a self-portrait of the artist with her family, addresses themes of integration and intercultural exchange. The title and narrative suggest that Boyce is balancing traditional Afro-Caribbean culture, represented by her family, with her own identity as a black British woman. Her dress is patterned with roses, a symbol of anglicised beauty, but they are uncharacteristically black, signifying an intersection between notions of ‘blackness’ and ‘Britishness’.

Selected by clients of Justice First, a Stockton-on-Tees-based charity working with people seeking asylum

[above text from 'Living Beyond Limits' exhibition 20/10/18 - 03/02/19]

One of Boyce’s earliest artistic concerns was the struggle of a female black artist finding a voice in a predominantly white male art world. Something which she has mentioned in interviews, she felt that when she was at art school “[she] was black, therefore [she] wasn’t there.” Her artworks tell the story of these problems and depict biographical narratives. We are presented with a young woman who appears to be holding up 4 figures, presumably her family. It is a commentary on how she is supporting her loved ones, literally, by holding them above her head. Her early works (this piece was only created when she was 24) were large chalk and pastel drawings that show her interest in depicting friends, family and childhood experiences. The bright wallpaper-like patterns and colours are intended to represent links to the caribbean and the artists own biographical background. In 2013 it was chosen by the public to be featured in the ‘Art Everywhere’ project, where 22,000 posters of 57 works of art were displayed on billboards and poster sites across the UK. This speaks clearly of the pieces popularity, and of Sonia Boyce’s effective methods of story telling.

Purchased with assistance from the Arts Council England/Victoria & Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund