At the event, we heard from Sekai Machache & Matilda Williams-Kelly – two of the artists exhibiting as part of the BLM Mural Trail

Scotland’s Black Lives Matter Mural Trail has been expanding over the summer and now has over 40 individual artworks, in over 30 sites across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Stirling and Dundee with more still planned.

But that is only part of the story. The other side is more troubling, with several of the murals suffering from vandalism and in some cases complete violent removal. The most recent murals to go up – a series of 16 colorful portraits by Dundee photographer Sekai Machache – have all been torn off the walls donated by “Sharing Not Hoarding” in Dundee in less than a fortnight. In Edinburgh, the Queen’s Hall’s “All Li es Matter” display has had to be replaced several times after being spray painted and then forcibly removed from the railings and stolen. Others have had stickers attached and been defaced.

The Dundee murals were replaced (thanks to an outpouring of support from people in Dundee) and will remain in situ at least until the end of October. But conversations need to start happening now, for that reason, the BLM Mural Trail, Sharing Not Hoarding and Creative Dundee have partnered to organise a conversation on 27 October between some of the artists involved.

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Tuesday 27 October at 7pm on Zoom

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At the event, on Zoom, we have heard from Sekai Machache and Matilda Williams-Kelly – two of the artists exhibiting as part of the BLM Mural Trail in Dundee. They shared more about their work, approach to this project and the wider Black Lives Matter movement.

Sekai Machache is a visual artist based in Dundee. Her work is a deep interrogation of the notion of self. Having been born in Zimbabwe and raised in Scotland, she has a particular interest in W.E.B Dubois’ notion of Double Consciousness, which expresses the psychological challenge of having African heritage whilst living in the West. Sekai works with a wide range of media including but not exclusive to photography. Her photographic practice is mostly formulated through digital studio based compositions utilising body paint and muted lighting conditions to create images that appear to emerge from darkness.

Tilda Williams-Kelly creates work that is vibrant, drawing inspiration from her family members and friends as models and subjects of her ideas. Fascinated by story and myth, but passionate and eager to engage in social and political issues, in particular those surrounding race and feminism, Tilda aims to use a contemporary dialogue to address histories and reflect modern life and experiences.

“If you want to cause an argument, be hated, outcast or despised, then do one thing, just one simple thing. Tell the truth.”

– Wezi Mhura

The event happened at 7pm on 27 October.