Voices from the Front Line

2018 Group show, 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning, London, United Kingdom

Title: Courage – Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision (Detail)

Linett Kamala ©

152.5cm x 122cm – POA

Mixed media on canvas

Voices from the Front Line explores an important aspect of Brixton’s heritage which is the political
and social history of Railton road, known for being home to the Caribbean community in the
post Windrush period and site of social uprisings in the 1980’s.

Against a backdrop of increasing gentrification and social change the project aims to document the sites, personalities and events which have shaped the area. As part of the investigation into this once contested space, beyond, during and after the 1980s the project asks: ‘What characterises the spirit of Railton Road, and, what does the space now mean for people who visited and lived on the street?’

The exhibition includes art created by artists who responded to the local and national
archival material about Railton Road.

For me the characteristics of courage, resilience, determination and cooperation sum up the spirit of Railton Road. When researching the archives for this project I choose as my starting point Olive Morris, the inspirational community activist of 1970s Britain, who died at the young age of 27 leaving behind a significant legacy of activism.