Appliqué flag Black cotton satin, rayon, metallic lurex and Itatian patent leather 1210 x 1820 mms

'The Black Essex Flag' (2019). Image Tessa Hallmann and Southend Museums

THE BLACK ESSEX FLAG

Appliqué flag

Black cotton satin, rayon, metallic lurex and Italian patent leather.

1210 x 1820 mms

The Black Essex Flag is the first work by a Black woman artist to be acquired by the Beecroft Art Gallery, marking an important step towards diversifying its permanent collection -- Artfund

"The Black Essex Flag was conceived with two aims. First, it acts as a radical declaration for Black communities in Essex, affirming their place within the county’s story. Second, it invites broader audiences across Britain to adopt a new mindset—one that challenges and reshapes stereotypical perceptions of the people who live in Essex.

The design is a copy of the Flag of Essex, dating back to the 17th century and typically featuring three white Saxon swords with gold handles on a red field. The earliest references to the flag representing the county date back to the 17th century. It was developed during a four-month residency I titled 'Black Girl Essex' at Firstsite over the summer of 2019. The residency initiated a way to interrogate the term 'Essex Girl', which characterises women from Essex as 'unintelligent', 'promiscuous', and 'materialistic'. However, as the term historically references 'a white girl', the idea of prefixing Essex Girl with 'Black' seemed like a radical declaration that I felt compelled to unpack and explore, particularly as I had been living in the county for two decades and was embarrassed about any association with the term. Moreover, I felt it was necessary to consider this exploration with other black folks in the county, which the residency allowed me to do"

Through discussions held with an intergenerational group of black folks living in Essex, the flag, along with a new film, 'Black Girl Essex: Here We Come, Look We Here' (2019), was conceived and first shown in the 'Super Black' (2019-20) exhibition at Firstsite.