Lara rose

My current PhD project is entitled, The Dr Geraldine Connor (1952-2011) civic Aworan statue: Yoruba culture and its influence on artistic practices in Leeds.  Yoruba culture, art and spirituality have suffered dehumanising narratives from colonisers, explorers, and religious authorities. Indeed, Prof Sophie Oluwole lamented that, ‘We are committing suicide by not speaking our language’. Geraldine Connor, creator of Carnival Messiah also admonished me to tell my Yoruba story.  

What if we can let the Yoruba voice speak? I am utilising a multi-modal, Practice as Research (PaR) methodology to allow Yoruba culture to influence my art practice.

I am most proud of my rediscovery of the Yoruba Aworan (visual representation) sculpture practice as evident by prolific bronze statues in museums worldwide. Leo Frobenius uncovered the Ori Olokun bronze head in Ile-Ife, Nigeria and wrongly speculated it was from the lost city of Atlantis! This led on to my quest to resurrect the Aworan tradition of venerating notable community members. My first is the life size 1.7m ultramarine blue statue of Geraldine Connor.  

The Yorkshire Evening Post headlined, ‘New sculpture unveiled in tribute to Dr Geraldine Connor thought to be first honouring a black woman in Leeds’.

My Research vision is threefold: 

1. Explore Yoruba culture, philosophy, and spirituality, including Yoruba art aesthetics and allow its essence and characteristics’ (ewa) to influence my art practice.  
2. Update Yoruba culture narratives, dispel untruthful damaging negative narratives, and resurrect lost Yoruba art traditions. 
3. Utilise Afropolitanism to frame current discussions about race, identity, mental health, and equality post BLM reviews and #Bameover.  

Overall, my goal is to fill the culture gap, make invaluable contributions to LSA, Leeds City of Culture 2023 aims, add to the sculpture stock of Leeds City Galleries and humanity at large. 

The finale portrait Arthur France: Son of a Small Island at Harewood House latest Open History series Exhibition. 

I found this exciting as it launches a new series of portraits featuring hidden people of colour from diverse communities in line with my vision to see more community leaders recognised.  Specially commissioned by the Earl and Countess of Harewood – David Lascelles and Diane Howse, the portrait, and those of future sitters, will be displayed as a key part of the permanent collection at Harewood. 

The exhibition celebrates Arthur’s life and contribution to the cultural life of Leeds including founding the Carnival.

A BBC article, Leeds: First look at David Oluwale memorial sculpture, revealing Yinka Shonibare design for the memorial,  

“A planning application states: "Inspired by Maya Angelou's poem "Still I Rise", the flower contemplates on the nature and injustice of David's death while also evoking a new hope as it rises out of the ground.” 

"A symbol for growth, hope and harmony within the community, the sculpture will serve as a meeting point for reconciliation, a place of healing, a monument to the care of the most vulnerable in society.” 

"Here a new hope is created out of discord and trauma."

There are a host of organisations I would love to collaborate with including LSA, Leeds Art gallery and Harewood house. Particularly, Harewood house have a commitment to being transparent about their history and links to the Transatlantic slave trade. They want to celebrate the contribution of the African and Caribbean communities to the cultural life of West Yorkshire and bring diverse communities together to reflect on our shared history to imagine a shared future.  

I would love to showcase pillars of the community statues alongside their sculpture collection as they seek to reveal hidden figures in the community.

Currently installing my LARC Research Station #10 Omo Sapiens Exhibition (including hidden pillars of the community Aworan). It tracks simultaneously both my Yoruba exploratory journey superimposed with the overall Yoruba story from creation to contemporary Afropolitan diaspora. An ongoing project with a hybrid Afropolitan blueprint, I hope to repeat with diverse cultural backgrounds in new exhibition settings.  

Also, in the pipeline, are future Yoruba ceremony style, oriki (praise song) performances in conjunction with presenting Aworan. I recently presented Arthur France a Blue Marquette, carrying it on my head at the celebratory event of his life, at the House of Commons.