
Vanishing Point 29 (Duyster), 2021. Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge: PD.75-2022. Image Courtesy of the artist and Cristea Roberts Gallery, London. © Barbara Walker. Photo Chris Keenan
Black Atlantic: Power, People, Resistance
Fri 8 September - Sun 7 January 2024
Fitzwilliam Museum
Which stories get remembered, and why?
This exhibition explores some new stories from history – stories that help us to separate fact from fiction and history from myth.
By bringing together collections from across the University of Cambridge’s museums, libraries and colleges with loans from around the world, 'Black Atlantic: Power, People, Resistance' asks new questions about Cambridge’s role in the transatlantic slave trade and about the role of art in shaping history and perspectives.
In 1816, Richard Fitzwilliam donated vast sums of money, literature and art to the University of Cambridge, creating the Museum that is named after him. But Fitzwilliam’s generosity was only possible because of the wealth his grandfather accumulated in part through the transatlantic slave trade. Acknowledging this story for the first time has led to new discoveries about the objects Fitzwilliam donated, the people who collected them, and the cultures that created them.
Displaying objects and artworks made in West Africa, the Caribbean, South America and Europe, this landmark exhibition also reveals the histories that have been silenced; not just stories of exploitation, but those of resilience and liberation, too. It shows how through resisting colonial slavery, people produced new cultures known as the Black Atlantic, that continue to shape our world.
Historic works are shown alongside modern and contemporary works by artists including Barbara Walker, Donald Locke, Alberta Whittle and Keith Piper that challenge and reflect on hidden and untold stories.
The stories in the Black Atlantic can help us to create a fairer future. By rethinking our connected and complex histories and looking again through the lens of contemporary art, tomorrow’s story can be one of repair, hope and freedom.
Cost: Free
Timing
In person
10:00am-5:00pm Tuesday-Saturday every week from Friday 8 September until Saturday 23 December
12:00pm-5:00pm Sunday every week from Friday 8 September until Saturday 23 December
10:00am-5:00pm Wednesday-Saturday every week from Wednesday 27 December until Saturday 30 December
12:00pm-5:00pm Sunday every week from Monday 1 January 2024 until Sunday 7 January 2024
All times
Fri 8 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 9 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 10 September | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 12 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 13 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 14 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 15 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 16 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 17 September | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 19 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 20 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 21 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 22 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 23 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
TodaySun 24 September | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 26 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 27 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 28 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 29 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 30 September | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 1 October | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 3 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 4 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 5 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 6 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 7 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 8 October | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 10 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 11 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 12 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 13 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 14 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 15 October | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 17 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 18 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 19 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 20 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 21 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 22 October | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 24 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 25 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 26 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 27 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 28 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 29 October | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 31 October | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 1 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 2 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 3 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 4 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 5 November | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 7 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 8 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 9 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 10 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 11 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 12 November | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 14 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 15 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 16 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 17 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 18 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 19 November | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 21 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 22 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 23 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 24 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 25 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 26 November | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 28 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 29 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 30 November | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 1 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 2 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 3 December | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 5 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 6 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 7 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 8 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 9 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 10 December | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 12 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 13 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 14 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 15 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 16 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 17 December | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |
Tue 19 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 20 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 21 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 22 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 23 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Wed 27 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Thu 28 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Fri 29 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sat 30 December | 10:00AM - 5:00PM |
Sun 7 January 2024 | 12:00PM - 5:00PM |