Setting Off…
Whether its young people starting off on life’s adventure, migrant workers leaving their home country, asylum seekers entrusting themselves to the waves or every one of us plodding along the road day by day – we’re all on life’s journey.
Setting off on life’s journey challenges our resilience, our character and our identity. But that journey embodies our dreams, fills us with hope and enables us to discover our true values. As fellow travellers it is our privilege to share our gifts and our wisdom with each other along the way.
This exhibition, which was produced by Artlink Hull, coordinated by Siddi Majubah, and funded by Absolutely Cultured and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, celebrated the creative journeys of four groups that met in workshops over the course of a few months. We were invited to set off on a journey together with them all. A journey of admiration, mutual respect and self-discovery.
The Warren
The Warren’s SHOUT group of LGBTQIA+ young people worked with ceramicist Jen Holtridge of Quite Contrary Pottery to produce ceramic sculptures inspired by emotional support plushies, animations and media, which become totems representing something incredibly personal to the individuals; comfort, resilience, and even in some cases a reason to stay alive.
Welcome House
Welcome House, which gives a welcome to asylum seekers, has an arts group run by volunteer artists Richard Lees, Maria Lofthouse, Jane Stow and Wendy Bennett. The group has created a seascape hanging and model boat to represent the journeys people have taken. Additionally, they worked with printer Fraser Briggs to screen-print shirts for their football teams, celebrating the delight and skills they share in sports and playing together.
Hull Afro Caribbean Association (HACA)
Hull Afro Caribbean Men’s Group have worked with David Okwesia to produce a radio/podcast play and music around the African Mami Wata stories, reflecting on the hazards of the journeys many have taken to come to Hull. The group also performed the play in Space 2 at Humber Street Gallery on Sunday 26 May.
Open Doors
Open Doors gives advice and support to asylum seekers. The open group there met with Glynis Neslen and others for drawing, painting and photography workshops. The group, which often included children, has produced some touching and powerful images of people and places left behind, along with expressions of hope and strength for the future.
Our thanks to The Warren, Welcome House, Hull Afro Caribbean Men’s Group and Open Doors who took part in the workshops and to Hull Truck Theatre for providing rehearsal space.
Related events
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Performance by Hull Afro Caribbean Men’s Group
Sunday 26 May 2024
2pm
Humber Street Gallery
Free, no booking required
Join us for a performance of a radio play and music by Hull Afro Caribbean Men’s Group around the spiritual tradition of ‘Mami Wata’.
Wednesday 22 – Sunday 2 June 2024
Space 2
Humber Street Gallery
Free
Past events
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Though The Leaves Are Many... : INTER_CHANGE exhibition
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Byland's Super Saga, 2024. Jack Pell © Jules Lister
Byland's Super Saga, Jack Pell
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Diasporas Now UK Tour at Humber Street Gallery, 2024 © Abbie Jennings
Diasporas Now UK Tour
Pearson Primary Portraits, 2023 © Jules Lister
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Kristin McGuire © Studio McGuire / Nikki Rummer © Camilla Greenwell
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© Middle Child
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© Pheobe riley Law
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Installation view. In My Room, Hannah Quinlan and Rosie Hastings. Courtesy of Focal Point Gallery and the artists, 2020 © Anna Lukala
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Installation View, 2021. Leo Fitzmaurice, Autosuggestions. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister
Autosuggestions, Leo Fitzmaurice
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Gipsyville Christmas Tree, 2020 © Absolutely Cultured
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HIPI Hang Out Forum, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured
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50 Queers for 50 Years Workshop © Chris Pepper
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Nnena Kalu, Wrapping. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Wrapping, Nnena Kalu
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Frances Disley, The Cucumber Fell in the Sand. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
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Installation View. Jade Montserrat, Instituting Care. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
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Ella Dorton, Journey to the Centre of the Couch (Couches & Other Good Ideas). Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Journey To The Centre Of The Couch (Couches & Other Good Ideas), Ella Dorton
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Man On The Moon Keisha Thompson. IETM Hull 2019 © Keisha Thompson
IETM Hull 2019 Artistic Programme
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Installation view. Measures of Life, The Lumen Prize for Digital Art. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2018. © Tom Arran
Measures of Life by The Lumen Prize for Digital Art
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Perches and Flyways, 2023. Creative Connections Artists, Juneau Projects and Jennifer Holtridge © Jules Lister
Perches and Flyways, Creative Connections Artists with Jennifer Holtridge and Juneau Projects
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Winner Breaks First, Luke Beech. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery © Jules Lister
Winner Breaks First, Luke Beech
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Installation view. Oliver Ressler, Climate Feedback Loops. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2022 © Jules Lister
Climate Feedback Loops, Oliver Ressler
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© Floral & Lace
Luxury Christmas Wreath Making With Floral & Lace @ Humber Street Gallery
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Installation view. Various Artists, HSG Open Call Q1 2021. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists, 2021. © Jules Lister
HSG Open Call
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Installation view, 2022. Harminder Judge, Ankles Absorbing Ash. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister
Ankles Absorbing Ash, Harminder Judge
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Installation view. Kara Chin, Show Real. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2022 © Jules Lister
Show Real, Kara Chin
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Installation View, 2021. Jasleen Kaur, Flesh 'n' Blood. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister
Flesh ‘n’ Blood, Jasleen Kaur
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Installation view. HSG Open Call - Season Two. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2021. © Jules Lister
HSG Open Call - Season Two
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Installation View, 2021. Leo Fitzmaurice, Enjoy Civic Life. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister
Enjoy Civic Life, Leo Fitzmaurice
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Fruit Factory Network site visit to Bloc Projects, Sheffield © Absolutely Cultured
Life as a Creative
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Installation View. Practice in Place. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists, 2020. © Jules Lister
Practice In Place
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HIPI Hang Out Forum, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured
Arts Council England under £15k Applications: Top Tips with Deb Ashby
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Installation view, 2019. Ollie Dook, Proboscidea Rappings. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Proboscidea Rappings, Ollie Dook
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Dance Exchange Programme, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured
Dance Exchange Hull
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Hull Takeover: Previews © The Herd/The Roaring Girls/Just Club
Hull Takeover: Previews
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Athena Papadopoulos, A Tittle-Tattle Tell-a-Tale-Heart, courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist 2019. © James Mulkeen
A Tittle-Tattle Tell-a-Tale Heart, Athena Papadopoulos
Installation view. Place To Place: Liverpool Biennial Touring Programme. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2019. © Rob Battersby
Place To Place: Liverpool Biennial Touring Programme
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Jamie Reid XXXXX: Fifty Years of Subversion and The Spirit © James Mulkeen
Jamie Reid XXXXX: Fifty Years of Subversion and The Spirit
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You and Me in HU3, Russell Boyce and George Norris. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery, 2024 © Jules Lister
You and Me in HU3, Russell Boyce and George Norris
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BOOTLEG SHREG & FRIENDS, 2023. Bruce Asbestos © Jules Lister
BOOTLEG SHREG & FRIENDS, Bruce Asbestos
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Baa's House, Hetain Patel. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery, 2023 © Jules Lister
Baa's House, Hetain Patel
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Installation view. Lou Lou Sainsbury, Earth is a Deadname, 2022. Commissioned and produced by Gasworks. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. Photo: Jules Lister
Earth is a Deadname, Lou Lou Sainsbury
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Nobody by Motionhouse. Image © Dan Tucker
Nobody: A Dance-Circus Adventure
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Installation view, 2022. INTER_CHANGE Showcase. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister
INTER_CHANGE Showcase
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Installation view. Ashley Holmes, Trust Melody. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2022 © Jules Lister
Trust Melody, Ashley Holmes
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Installation view, 2021. In Conversation as Collective Strategy. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister
In Conversation as Collective Strategy
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50 Queers for 50 Years Workshop © Chris Pepper
Creative Case for Diversity: An Introduction
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Fruit Factory Network site visit to Bloc Projects, Sheffield © Absolutely Cultured
Introduction to Fundraising in the Arts
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Installation View. HSG Open Call - Season One. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists, 2021. © Jules Lister
HSG Open Call - Season One (2021)
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Chatty Hull, 2019 © Absolutely Cultured
Making work with and for communities
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Installation view, 2020. Jamie Crewe, Solidarity & Love. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister.
Jamie Crewe, Solidarity & Love
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Model City, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran
Volunteer Community Support and Crisis Response
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Installation view, 2020. Lucy Clout, ZZZ. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2020. © Jules Lister
Lucy Clout, ZZZ
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Installation View, 2019. Aniara Omann, Equanipolis. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Equanipolis, Aniara Omann
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Installation View. Mike S Redmond and Faye Coral Jones (MSR FCJ), Ecstatic Rituals.Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Ecstatic Rituals
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IETM Hull © Tom Arran
Emerging Cultural Leaders Mobility Bursary 2019 - Information Event
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PRS Foundation's New Music Biennial 2019, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran
PRS Foundation New Music Biennial 2019
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Cut, Humber Street Gallery 2019. © James Mulkeen
Cut, Richard Houguez & Graham Jones
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Candoco Dance Company © Hugo Glendinning
IETM Hull 2019 Plenary Meeting
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Oh The Night! - imitating the dog. Urban Legends: Northern Lights, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran
Urban Legends: Northern Lights
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Installation view. It Takes A Village. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2019. © James Mulkeen