Michael Bryan and Marcia X speaking at the Research Network Meeting, November 2014

The two emerging artists presented their experiences as artists who explore race, the black body, identity, gender and representation in their individual art practices and writing. Michael Bryan and Marcia X each showed thought-provoking images of their art works and offered the audience insights into their often difficult experiences in art education. Michael Bryan described how he faced censorship of his performance art at college. Marcia X encountered lack of support or dismissal of her identity-focused explorations. A lively discussion with the audience followed - if you missed the event, you can listen to the streamed audio recordings below.

Disobedient Objects at the V&A: 'Express Yourself' event with Christine Checinska

The second Stuart Hall Library Animateur, Christine Checinska, will be speaking at the Victoria & Albert Museum this Friday evening, 21 November in response to the Disobedient Objects exhibition. 

Christine's talk will be part of the free, drop-in 'Express Yourself' event which starts at 6:30pm.

The talks will focus on how today's protesters initiate their campaigns or change the world using social media, film, "flash mobs, hashtags, selfies, up-cycling, masquerade, TEDtalks, PechaKuchas, films and freedom songs"

Christine will speak about the African diaspora's material culture in Britain as a vehicle for quiet and overt activism; making a statement about oneself, and oneself in the world, from both an individual and collective level.

Research Network: Call for Proposals

The Stuart Hall Library Research Network is a forum for researchers, artists, academics, curators, students and activists to introduce an aspect of their work. It is a meeting place for the discussion of practice-based or more conventional forms of research that may include: curatorial practice; visual arts; film and media; cultural studies; cultural activism; postcolonial studies; literary studies, including criticism and theory.

We are looking for exciting and engaging ways of uncovering your research. This might include individual presentations, presentations in pairs, in conversation/dialogue, or presenting a group project.

If you are interested in presenting at a future Research Network session, send a 200 word proposal outlining your topic to the Library Manager. The meetings will take place in the Stuart Hall Library from 6.30 -8.30pm. Each presentation will be 20 minutes long (2 presenters per session). Previous themes have includedPost-Colonialism and globalisation

• Issues of race and diversity in the visual arts
• Diaspora; social and cultural perspectives
• The intellectual legacy of Stuart Hall and cultural studies
• The politics and philosophy of identity

This is not intended as an exhaustive list and all presentations on practice or research that in some way resonates with the activities of Iniva are welcomed.

The closing date for this round of proposals is the 19th of December 2014.