‘Britannia’ exhibition opens at Norwich Castle
This show by acclaimed artist, Amartey Golding, is a meditation on his English ancestry inspired by the symbolic figure of Britannia.
The work offers a moment of reflection on our relationship with ourselves, our past and our environment, as it explores the impact traumatic periods of English history have had on those who survived them.
Golding invites us to consider Norwich Castle as the location for the work’s presentation, in a building, city, and region, which has borne witness to periods of conflict, in contrast to its use now as a museum, gallery and wedding venue.
Born in London, Golding often turns to his Anglo-Scottish and Ghanian ancestry, by way of a Rastafarian upbringing, as a point of departure for his art. Moving constantly around the country as a child, Golding was exposed to contrasting and often conflicting English communities. His fondness for these different worlds, and the sometimes invisible and unexpected ways in which they depended on each other, continues to inform his work today.
Content notice: Please note this film contains some scenes which contain non-sexual nudity, minor body wounds and taxidermy animals.
Britannia was commissioned by Norfolk Museums Service with additional support from Autograph and Film and Video Umbrella. The commission was made possible with support from Art Fund. Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Images: Stills from Britannia, courtesy of the artist
