2–5pm
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97–99 Hoxton Street, London N1 6QL
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In response to Onyeka Igwe's exhibtion, history is a living weapon in yr hand, students from MA Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Art, University of the Arts London curated a collaborative archival research workshop to explore personal and historical archives together with Igwe and a small group of contributors.

With a focus on Black British histories viewed through a feminist lens, the workshop provided a unique opportunity to explore how personal and collective histories are reclaimed, re-told, and activated through archival practices, transforming history into a tool for challenging erasure, silence, and marginalisation.

Workshop contributors worked alongside artist Onyeka Igwe to engage with a range of archival materials from Hackney Archives, the George Padmore Institute and The Cockpit Archive. These materials highlight not only migration histories but also broader political movements, such as the fight for Nigerian independence and Pan-African anti-colonial activism in London, with particular attention to the often overlooked contributions of women. Contributors were also encouraged to bring an item from their own lives or personal archives – whether it’s a family photograph, letter, an item from childhood, or a memory that connects to their personal histories, identities, or sense of self. These served as starting points for discussions that linked individual stories to broader historical contexts.

The workshop fostered open dialogue and reflection, creating a collaborative and inclusive space where personal experiences and archival materials came together to explore memory, history, identity and the shaping of potential futures.

This event was made possible through a partnership between Peer and MA Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London.

Ya-Hsin Luo, Aayushi Rajput, Charmaine Wah and Jiabin Xu, MA Curating and Collections students from Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London facilitate this archive research workshop.
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Biographies:

Ya-Hsin Luo (Alice) is a Taiwan-based curator whose work spans academic research, art criticism, and curatorial practice. She recently participated in an exchange program in Kassel, Germany, conducting research for Documenta, and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at the University of the Arts London. Her research examines the intersections of feminism, political power, and decolonization, with a focus on Taiwan’s complex socio-political landscape.

Her practice navigates these dynamics by linking art, activism, and feminist theory. Her projects, including archival research on the Non-Aligned Movement and collaborations with institutions such as Africa House and The Mosaic Rooms, explore how archival materials and language can create intimate connections, highlighting art’s potential to inspire critical thought and foster social transformation.

Aayushi Rajput is an emerging Indian curator with a thoughtful approach to crafting exhibitions that are as much about storytelling as art. With a strong interest in how space shapes the viewer’s experience, Aayushi’s curatorial practice blends artistic innovation with a deep respect for context, whether it’s through contemporary pieces or archival materials. Her work often explores the intersection of history, culture, and visual expression, creating immersive and thought-provoking exhibitions. Aayushi’s intuitive, research-driven approach ensures that each project is not only visually compelling but also resonates on a deeper, intellectual level, encouraging viewers to engage in new ways.

Charmaine Wah is a Singaporean curator and producer. In her curatorial practice, she enjoys digging her hands into heritage, subcultures, sonic practices, moving images and archives. Her current research investigates do-it-yourself (DIY) archival practices in Singapore’s underground music scene and how archiving is a curatorial process that (re)interprets heritage and cultural memory. In a previous life, she conducted research in mathematics education and pedagogy.

Jiabin Xu (Janelle) is a curator and spatial designer based in London and Shanghai. Because of her background in spatial design, she is interested in the relationship between space and curation and has studied in depth the curatorial thinking and interactivity of various exhibitions based on different spaces. In addition, she wants to look into the unknown future through curation. In her current research, she digs deep and looks for the intersection of the occult, the post-human world and feminism.


Contributing archives:

‍Cockpit Archive
The Cockpit Archive is an online archive that makes available in digital, scanned form a selection of work from The Cockpit Arts Workshop in the 1970s and 80s, which, along with Camerawork, developed the form and use of the laminated touring exhibition. They were nearly all produced as a direct response to cultural and political issues of the day, which were not represented in mainstream media and publishing. They can be said to have formed an alternative progressive media network, offering a view of society as seen from the perspective of shared communities and progressive groups.

‍Hackney Archives
The Hackney Archives house an extensive collection of records related to the London Borough of Hackney, which, before 1965, comprised three separate metropolitan boroughs – Hackney, Shoreditch, and Stoke Newington. One key resource is the local history library, which offers a wealth of newspaper advertisements, publications, magazines, and historical archives with a special focus on Black British history. This provides researchers with diverse perspectives to explore. The Archives also engage communities through public events.

‍George Padmore Institute
Set up in 1991, the George Padmore Institute (GPI) grew out of a community of people connected with New Beacon Books, Britain's first black publisher and bookshop, and its founder John La Rose. The Institute is an archive, educational research and information centre housing materials and documents relating mainly to black communities of Caribbean, African and Asian descent in post-war Britain and continental Europe. The Institute organises and preserves the archival materials in its care to ensure they are available to individuals, researchers, students, schools and anyone interested in black British communities' social, economic and cultural history.


Supporters:

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Armet Francis, Autograph ABP, London College of Communications Archives and Special Collections