Alberta Whittle, ‘Lagareh - The Last Born’ | Mareel, Shetland Arts

LUX Scotland and Scotland + Venice are delighted to host a screening of ​‘Lagareh – The Last Born’ at Mareel, Shetland Arts in Lerwick, the third event of a screening tour that brings the work to six venues across Scotland. 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.

This event will include a reflection on the themes of the work with Programme Producer Abigail Webster.

Content warning: this film and discussion will contain references to grief, 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 Shetland Arts Development Agency 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: The photograph shows a Black womxn lifting her arms in praise, viewed from her right side. She is standing in a room with wooden-cladded walls, and sun light illuminates her face from a window above her. She is wearing a bronze turban adorned with gold thread, a blue and green tunic, and an orange necklace, bracelets, earrings and rings.