Alberta Whittle, ‘Lagareh - The Last Born’ | Eden Court

LUX Scotland and Scotland + Venice are pleased to host a screening of ​‘Lagareh – The Last Born’ at Eden Court in Inverness, the second event of a screening tour that brings the work to six venues across Scotland between 20 September 2022 – 1 March 2023. This new work was commissioned by Scotland + Venice and Forma for the 59^th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.

‘Lagareh’ – which translates from the Mandinka language as ​‘The Last Born’ – is a work anchored around theories of abolition, rebellion, ancestral knowledge and love. Shot in Scotland, England, Barbados, Sierra Leone and Italy, the film melds a collection of scenes that give focus to the strength of contemporary Black womxn, whose individual acts of resistance are bound together through the artist’s conceptual storytelling. The artist situates Black love in proximity with historical sites of trauma, re-inscribed with rage, hope and exhaustion. Gestures, rituals and moments of intimacy are poignantly underpinned by a deep reflection on grief, loss and mourning, a resolute reminder of the trauma inflicted upon the Black body and of white privilege and power.

The screening will be followed by a conversation between curator and researcher Cat Dunn, and historian and author David Alston. The concept of ​‘space’’ – geographic, political, imaginativel – will provide an interpretive frame for this discussion, to weave connections between the artist’s practice, anti-racist and pro-black advocacy, and Scotland’s historic connections to the Transatlantic slave trade.

Content note: this film and discussion will contain references to racism, chattel slavery, and police brutality.

The film is captioned and the discussion will be live captioned.

There will be a short interval between the film screening and the discussion.

For more information on venue accessibility please see the access section of Eden Court’s website here.

A limited access fund is available to support audience attendance, which can be used for transport or the cost of childcare, carers or support workers. This fund will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis, so please get in touch as soon as you can. For further information about access please email Abigail Webster (she/​her) at email hidden; JavaScript is required

Image description: a Black womxn wearing a red dress and beaded necklace stands in the centre of the image, holding the gaze of the viewer. Gripped in her right fist is a machete, which glints in the sunshine. The palm of her left hand is open as it steadies the tool. Behind her there are green foliage, and red and pale yellow flowers, which grow over a stone wall. The sky is blue, with three white clouds.