Reclaiming Space: Opening
including performances by Erin James, AFLO. the poet and Kofi Achina
6.30 – 8.00pm
Join us in the galleries for the opening event of Reclaiming Spaces including performances by Erin James, AFLO. the poet and Kofi Achina.
AFLO. the poet is a Brighton-based spoken word artist, activist and academic who embraces creative expression to disrupt the status quo and inspire social change. AFLO. uses poetry as a vehicle to address hard-hitting topics, particularly racism and mental health, and has performed to crowds of thousands at Black Lives Matter protests and other demonstrations in Brighton and beyond. AFLO. takes a decolonial approach to poetry and creativity, believing that you don’t need a certain level of experience or qualification to be an artist. She has shaken up the scene with her ever-evolving project and collective, ‘AFLO. and the Poets’, with a TV show and performances at legendary local venues such as Brighton Dome and The Green Door Store, and plans for more events are in the pipeline. AFLO. is also a trustee of Brighton’s Black Anti-Racism Community Organisation (BARCO), Brighton’s only organisation to focus solely on the racism faced by Black people.
Erin James is a Brighton-based multi-disciplinary artist, with a focus on the merging of art and activism through her practices. She is the founder of the socially engaged zine Tough Cookie, as well as a poet, DJ, photographer and curator. The main themes of Erin’s work tend to revolve around mental health, trauma, activism. By tackling hate with joy and expression, and pushing for a world where we can be free to talk about “stigmatised” or “taboo” subjects, Erin finds purpose in her work and practices.
Kofi is a London based spoken word artist and storyteller. Inspired by the likes of Kae Tempest and Kendrick Lamar, he weaves together comedy and tragedy, cold rhymes and storylines, to give a voice to his random thoughts and 3am musings. He’s featured at venues across London and Brighton speaking on a variety of topics ranging from work culture and consumerism to sunsets and hangovers. He’s a Hammer and Tongue regional slam finalist and became a published poet at the tender age of 9.