ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Emerging Artists Explore Black British Histories and Racial Complexity at Nottingham's Backlit Gallery

exhibition · 2026-04-20

The Backlit Gallery in Nottingham is hosting the exhibition 'in reality, these things need to be said,' which will be on display until 29 August. It features a group of emerging artists: De’Anne Crooks, Arit Emmanuela Etukudo, Zethu Maseko, Rene Matić, and Kim Thompson. Their artworks delve into themes of race, Black British identity, and the reclamation of history. Matić's piece 'the lovers' (2021) reflects on the St Anne’s race riots of 1958. Thompson's 'Robin Hood Chase' (2021) highlights her Jamaican grandmother's lineage. Crooks's video 'Great-ish: The Gaslighting of a Nation' (2020) portrays Black British experiences. Etukudo's film 'As Long As There Is Bone, There is Language' (2021) examines African spirituality, while Maseko's 'Water Words' (2021) captures the essence of South African landscapes. This exhibition is part of ArtReview's Remark platform.

Key facts

  • Exhibition 'in reality, these things need to be said' runs until 29 August at Backlit Gallery in Nottingham
  • Features artists De’Anne Crooks, Arit Emmanuela Etukudo, Zethu Maseko, Rene Matić, and Kim Thompson
  • Rene Matić's 'the lovers' (2021) references 1958 St Anne’s race riots in Nottingham
  • Kim Thompson's 'Robin Hood Chase' (2021) portrays her Jamaican migrant grandmother's family with 11 large-scale portraits
  • De’Anne Crooks's video 'Great-ish: The Gaslighting of a Nation' (2020) made during lockdown addresses Black British experience
  • Arit Emmanuela Etukudo's film 'As Long As There Is Bone, There is Language' (2021) explores African spirituality with mystical imagery
  • Zethu Maseko's 'Water Words' (2021) uses soundscapes and tapestries dyed with herbs from Cape Town
  • Exhibition is part of ArtReview's Remark platform for East Midlands art writing

Entities

Artists

  • De’Anne Crooks
  • Arit Emmanuela Etukudo
  • Zethu Maseko
  • Rene Matić
  • Kim Thompson

Institutions

  • Backlit Gallery
  • ArtReview
  • Remark

Locations

  • Nottingham
  • United Kingdom
  • St Anne’s
  • Cape Town
  • South Africa
  • Jamaica
  • Caribbean

Sources