Rebel Curators – GRIOT
Posted on by Fay Whitfield.
M Shed in Bristol is proud to announce the launch of GRIOT, a thought-provoking intervention in the Transatlantic Traffic of Enslaved Africans Gallery, developed by the ‘Rebel Curators’.
The display is opening on 25 March 2025 to align with the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.
Named after the West African storytellers who preserve oral traditions, GRIOT invites visitors to engage with narratives of enslaved individuals and their descendants. Featuring digital storytelling, poetry, art and contemporary reflections, GRIOT bridges past and present, challenging audiences to confront the enduring legacies of the transatlantic slave trade.
During Black History Month 2024, a collective of six Rebel Curators and three Rebel Creators were brought together by Julz Davis to reclaim the narrative of the transatlantic trade of enslaved Africans. Recognising the need for an Afro-centric and accessible approach, they co-created a new set of interventions to transform the gallery space, ensuring the histories of African and Caribbean people are told with depth, dignity, and authenticity.
GRIOT explores reparations, resistance, and resilience. It is a series of short films, poems, illustrations, soundtracks and reading lists.
This project has been made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players. The funding has enabled the Rebel Curators and Creators to develop a bold and inclusive vision for re-examining this crucial history.
It is hoped that visitors to the GRIOT display will engage with this conversation and reflect on the themes, fostering conversations that will help shape future gallery developments to tell a fuller history.
GRIOT is located on M Shed’s first floor in the display on Bristol’s role in the Transatlantic Trade of Enslaved Africans. Free to the public, our family friendly space is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 5pm.
