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Sonia Boyce, Debussy, Black Men Walking

Sonia Boyce discusses her career blazing a trail for black female artists and the enduring appeal of Debussy on the 100th anniversary of his death.

Artist Sonia Boyce's career has been punctuated by series of firsts - the first black woman to have her work collected by the Tate, the first black woman to be elected a Royal Academician. As her first retrospective opens, Sonia discusses her art and why she removed a painting from the walls of Manchester Art Gallery.

On the 100th anniversary of Debussy's death two interpreters of his music discuss his life, legacy and influences. Lucy Parham tours a show playing his piano music interspersed with readings from Debussy's own writings and letters while Mirga Gra啪inyt臈-Tyla the conductor of the city of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has curated a season of Debussy's orchestral works.

Testament is a rapper, beatboxer and theatre maker who's now based in Yorkshire. That county is the setting of Black Men Walking, a touring production that takes as its real life inspiration a group of black men - and some women - who go walking in the Peak District once a month. It uses music, poetry and the rich and largely unsung history of black people in this country, and countryside, to tell its story.

Presenter: Gaylene Gould
Producer: Hannah Robins.

Available now

30 minutes

Sonia Boyce

Sonia Boyce
Sonia Boyce
Photo credit: Maya Bailey

Sonia Boyce retrospective at until 22 July 18

Main image:聽Sonia Boyce, Crop Over, 2007, 15',
two-channel video;聽(production still: Mother Sally), Collection Barbados Museum and Historical Society聽

Black Men Walking

Black Men Walking

L-R Tonderai Munyevu;聽Tyrone Huggins;聽Trevor Laird聽
Photo credit: Tristram Kenton

Black Men Walking is at the until 7 Apr

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Gaylene Gould
Interviewed Guest Sonia Boyce
Interviewed Guest Lucy Parham
Interviewed Guest Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla
Interviewed Guest Testament
Producer Hannah Robins

Broadcast

  • Fri 23 Mar 2018 19:15

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