London’s Victoria & Albert Museum is inviting visitors to take a trip through Caribbean art, crafts, design, trade and culture, spanning 300 years from colonialism to modernity.
On Sundays 17 September, 1 and 15 October the museum is running free 90-minute tours showcasing its Caribbean collections in six galleries under the title ‘The Historical and Hidden Caribbean: A View of Life through Art and Design’. You can turn up on the day or book a place by calling 020 7942 2000.
The statues and glass cases of the V&A will be shaking to the sights and sounds of Carnival from 1.30pm to 5.30pm on Sunday 8 October. DJs, steelpan, calypso, poets and storytellers will keep visitors entertained, while talks and literature provide food for thought. And for those who want to get hands-on, there’s even a Carnival mas camp where visitors can learn the basics of costume design, creating costumes and of course wearing them. And it’s all free!
Finally, on Saturday 4 November there is a full day of discovery, called ‘A New Way of Seeing – Contemporary Caribbean Emerging Artists’, running from 10.30am to 5.30pm. This is an unrivalled chance to mingle with, and learn from, artists, designers, curators, writers and historians. The £15 charge (£10 concs) includes a Caribbean reception.
- V&A Museum, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL; Tube: South Kensington. For more details, go to: www.vam.ac.uk/event.
