Elsa James: It Should Not Be Forgotten

This bold and unflinching exhibition challenges what we think we know, sparking new conversations about the psychological effects of transatlantic enslavement while honouring the resilience and strength Black communities have historically demonstrated.

“The show explores the rupture, erasure, and fragmentation of histories that shape Black life in the diaspora, inviting moments of understanding, healing, and community connection.”- Elsa James

What to expect Experience a provocative mix of new work from renowned British African-Caribbean interdisciplinary artist Elsa James in her first major solo exhibition at Firstsite, featuring photography, neon, screen print and sound.

The works confront Britain’s “national amnesia” regarding its role in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved African people and the colonial legacies that followed, offering a deeply moving and immersive experience.

Discover large-scale photographic pieces inspired by Christina Sharpe’s notion of how the slave ship marks and haunts contemporary Black life today.

Through her compelling response to the diaries of an 18th-century British plantation overseer and enslaver, uncover lesser-known facts from the nation’s colonial archives.

Image Credit: Elsa James: Living in the Wake of the Lust for Sugar, Film still, London, Sugar & Slavery Gallery, Museum of London Docklands, Image: Andy Delaney 2023.