WHAT? Souls Grown Deep like the Rivers - Black Artists from the American South 

WHERE? Royal Academy of Arts, The Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries, 6 Burlington Gardens, London W1S 3ET

WHEN? Now until 18th June 

WHY GO?  To applaud creativity.  Upturn assumptions that art is all about painting on canvas with this powerful exhibition on loan from The Souls Grown Deep Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia.  This is a deep dive into how inspiring art can be when materials are salvaged from whatever is available to hand, be it scrap metal, timber or even clay and sand. 

Collated from the works of 34 black artists covering a vast geographical spread from South Carolina to Texas, all have collectively engaged with their turbulent history and highlight historical events of the time. 

It tells stories of endurance, resilience along with joy through sculptures, rough paintings, murals and quilts.  Many of the artists will be unknown in the UK and most are self taught, having formerly displayed their work on front porches or abandoned storefronts.  It is truly a tale of the restorative power of art.

IN THE KNOW The show stopping traditional quilts honour the skills of the Quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, where former enslaved plantation workers formed ‘quilting bees’.  The repurposed materials make these beautiful quilts seem even more poignant.