Post on 06-Feb-2018
HowGreatThouArtfiftyyearsofAfricanCaribbeanFuneralsinLondon
ByCharliePhillips
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1.Takenin1970atSammysfuneralinKensalRiseCemetery,thisphotographisoneofthreepicturesofRedlamentingthelossofhisdrinkingpartner.OfRedsthreegestureswechosethisimagebecauseitmimicsthecross,amotifthatfeaturesheavilyinCharliescompositionalstyle.
2.BaronBakersfuneral,KensalRise.BaronBakeriscreditedwithbeingthechiefstrategistinleadingthedefenseagainstamobof400racistsinNottingHillonaniggerhuntin1958.HeiscreditedwithteachingtheyouthofNottingHillthetacticalandtechnicalknowledgetocreatepetrolbombsandbarricades.
3.ThedapperdoninthefurcoatisthelegendaryParachute,purveyorofvintageclothing.HisshopinLadbrokeGroveisthehauntofcelebritiesandfashionistasalike.AlongtimefriendofCharlie,hefeaturesinseveralphotographsintheexhibition.TakenatGallaruesfuneral,NunheadCemetery.
4.MrNodes(theelder)leadingpallbearersatafuneralinNottingHillintheearly1960s.Nodes&SonFuneralDirectorsareunderstoodandrespectedforbeingthefirstfirmofundertakerstoofferfuneralservicesthatreflectedthefunerarycustomsoftheAfricanCaribbeancommunityinLondon.
5.UndertakerwithJamaicanflagfloraltributeatMussusfuneral.Mussuwasacelebratedganjawholesaler.Hisordersofserviceareillustratedwithimagesofganjaleavesplacedaroundhishead.Asaprolificimporterandproducerhesuppliedthehighestgradesoftheplantfordecades,andathisfuneralreception,whichfeaturesinCharliesvideo,arescenesthatreflectthenotorietyofhisassembledguests.
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1.MadamesgreatgrandchildrenatherfuneralinKensalRise.Madameappearstwiceonthiswall.SheisshowninheryouthwithashoppingtrolleyandinlateryearswithsilverhairsingingatBaronBakersgraveside.
2.WhilstRedclosesthegraveatSammyCoteysfuneral,themournerssing.
3.Madame,MissIceyandBountyareshownamongotherguests.Madamearrivedatthisfuneralwithhershoppingtrolley,havingheardaboutitwhilstoutinShepherdsBushMarket.
4.ThemajorityofCharliesphotographsfromthe1960saretakenonamediumformatRolleicordcamera.Hisphotographshavebeenreproducedfromnegativesinourdarkrooms,fullframesquare6/6format.Inthisportraitwecanseeaspectsofacyancolourcast,whichistheresultofoptingforafaithfulreproductionoverdigitalenhancement.
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1.Anintergenerationalgroupstandingbythegraveside.Thisphotographisafineexampleofthecomplexitiesofhandprinting,thenegativebeingunderexposedwhileeachfacerequiresitsownexposuretime.Theshadowdetailwasenhancedusingseleniumtonerandhighlightsmanagedbypreflashingthepaper.
2.CliveMashupPhillips,leaderofthelegendaryMangroveSteelBandatFrankCritchlowsfuneral,2010.
2.GregoryIsaacsLondonfuneral,2010.ThefirstoftwofuneralsforIsaac.ThisparticularonetookplaceinLondonandthe2ndwhenhisbodywasinterredinJamaica.
3.Kwakuleadsalivelycortege:abrassband,andhundredsofmourners.ThisisthesecondtimethatMissCherryhasshutBrixtondown.Thefirsttimewasin1985whenDorothyCherryGrocewasshotandparalysedbypolice.HershootingsparkedtheBrixtonuprisingsasmanyatthetimethoughtshehadbeenmurderedandsoughttoconfrontthePolice.
4.ClintonEastwoodJonesatCassidysfuneral,KensalRise,1972.CassidywasamechaniccommonlyknownasMileAway,whoseadorationfortheLandRoverwassuchthathisdyingwishwasthathisbodybecarriedinhisLandRoverratherthanthetraditionalhearse.
5.DorothyCherryGrocedied26yearsaftershewasshotandparalysedbypolice.Atthetime,thepoliceclaimeditwasanaccidentbutapublicenquiryintotheshooting29yearslaterdeterminedthattheshootingwasnotanaccident.Thetruthis,CherryGrocewasshotasaresultofaseriesofastonishingfailuresbyofficersacrosstherankstofollowproceduresdesignedtoprotectthepublic.
6.AgroupofCassidysfriendsstandingaroundhisgraveatKensalRiseCemetery.InthemiddleisClintonandtohisrightisRonnieBriggs,whoseNineNightwasheldathismechanicsworkshopinLadbrokeGrove.
7.MrNodes(theyounger)andFatherJohnBrownsellatAllSaintsChurch,NottingHill.
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1.MournerswithorangehymnsheetsatJohnLaRosesfuneral,HighgateCemetery,London.LintonKwesiJohnsonwroteJohnsobituaryintheGuardian,inithesaysJohnwasnotonlymymentor,friend,comrade,hewaslikeafathertome.HewasthemostremarkablehumanbeingIhaveeverknown.
2.LauraineFerronholdingthecross,IshmahilBlagrovewithdigitalcameraandtheNottingHillCarnivalsmostcelebrateddancerallatDukeVinsfuneral,2012.DukeVincreatedBritainsfirstJamaicanstylesoundsysteminthe50s,thesecondbeingCountSuckles.TheybothimmigratedtoEnglandasstowawaysandthefirsteversoundclashinBritainwherebetweentheirrespectivesounds.ThegenesisofDJculture,soundsystems,clubcultureandtheNottingHillCarnivalcanbetracedbacktothesetwostowaways.
3.Charliesaysthatthispicturedefinesmodernfuneralsandcallsit,SimplyTheBest,reflectinghownewsongsaredefininganewgenerationandtheirvalues.Charlielamentshowmoderndayfuneralsnolongerusehymns,andSimplytheBest,SongsformyFatherandMyWay,whicharenowthethemesongstomodernfunerals.
4.AfricanandAfricanCaribbeanDrummersatthegravesidewearingwhite,basedonEthiopianorthodoxtraditions.
5.ReminiscingbythegravesideofUncleSonsfuneralwithBaronBakerlookingon.Thiscomicqualitiesofthisphotographwherenotlostonusaswechosethisimagepreciselybecauseofitscomedyvalue.
6.Inthecentreoftheframe,Parachutegreetsanothergentlemanwhilstinthedistanceamanchillaxesonagrave.
7.LeroysfuneralfeaturedahorsedrawncarriageandtheattendancewassogreatthatmanymournersincludingCharliewhereleftoutsidethechurchofSt.MatthewsinBrixton.
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1.WomeninthetraditionalblackandwhiteattireasrequestedatBabysfuneral,Tooting.
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1.MissIcey,MissTinyandBountyatGalaruesfuneral,NunheadCemetery.
2.AuntGloriapouringsoilonUncleSonsgrave.KensalRiseCemetery,1970s.
3.SisterLove.EmpressjaiwritesaboutSisterloveinheressaywhichispublishedintheHowGreatThouArtbook.
4.FiveWomen.
5.ASingerSewingMachineisremadeasafloraltributeatadressmakersfuneral.FloraltributeshavecometosymbolisethedeceasedsfavouritebrandswiththemostpopularbeingRizla(blue),Guinness(Stout),Technics(SL1200)andbettingslips.Whenwesaythemostpopular,wemeanwithinCharliesarchive.
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1.TheTabernacleinNottingHillisoneofthemanycommunityspacesthathoststhefuneralreceptions.Theeventsareinsomecaseshugepartieswherethecommunitysocialises,commemoratesandcelebrates.
2.Mournerssingingandsmokingbythegraveside.
3.ThesecondinarunofsixshotsfromCharlies35mmOlympusOM10cameratakenatareceptionattheTabernacleinNottingHill.
4.Wailingingrief.
5.MissIceyeulogisesherdaughter,bythegraveside.
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1.AyoungcouplecomforteachotheratMr.Briggssfuneral.
2.Twofuneralstakingplaceatthesametime,bothatKensalRiseCemetery.
3.Agroupofmourners.
4.MrNodes(theyounger)skillfullyleadingpallbearersoutofAllSaintsChurch,NottingHill.
5.Thisphotographillustrateshowasympatheticshoulderandthepromisethateverythingwillbealrightisallthatcanbesaidanddone.
6.ThisisoneofCharliesearlierphotographs.Thenegativehasdisintegratedalittleontherighthandsideduetowaterandpoorstorage.Inmanyrespectsthisphotographembodiesthebeliefthatallphotographsareamomentomori.
7.AtLenGarrisonsfuneralthegroundwasfrozensoadiggerwasneededtoclosethegrave.Thisisunusualasfuneralattendeesnormallyclosethegravethemselves.WandsworthCemetery,2003
8.Bycontemporarystandardsthisgraveismodestlydressed,butitsatestamenttoanothertimeandtheevolutionofvaluesandsocialstatus.
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1.AtFrankCritchlowsfuneral,mournerswereaskedtowearscotchbonnetberets.HerewecanseeMonstersportingitfreshfor2010withaCubancigar.
2.MrWatsonwasamemberoftheWestIndianExServicemenandWomensAssociation.HerehiscoffinisdrapedinaUnionJacktoreflecthistimeservingintheBritishmilitary.
3.Dayreleaseisgrantedtoprisonerssotheytocanpaytheirlastrespects.Inthisphotographtheprisoneriscuffedtohiswardenwhilsthepayshisrespectstohisfather.
4.ProfessorAugustineJohnpresidingatthegravesideofJohnLaRose.
5.BrotherLove
49framedprintsintotal17xB&Wand32xColourFramessizes:Colour:2xP:53x51cm,27xL:51x53cmand5xP:58x50cmB&W:15xL:51x53cmRunningmetresrequired:25.38m
AllBlackandWhitephotographshavebeenprintedbyNickJonesonIlfordCooltonepaperinPhotofusionscommunitydarkrooms.
AllColourphotographshavebeenprintedbyDannyPopeatPhotofusionscommunitydarkrooms.
Additionalitems:Catalogue/Book:HowGreatThouArt:50YearsofAfricanCaribbeanFuneralsinLondoncurrentlyoutofprint,butindiscussionstohaveitrepublished.OrdersofServicecollectedbyCharliePhillipsHi8videotapedocumentaryshotfrom19992014Filming:CharliePhillipsEditor:EddieOtchereRunningtime:22:00mins
AneditedselectionoffootageshotbyCharliePhillipsatfuneralssince1999includinginterviewswithfuneralsattendees,footageofNineNights,burial,celebrationoflifeandmemorials.
LibationbyProfessorGusJohn.IntroducingCharliePhillips20102014Filmed&Editedby:EddieOtchereRunningtime:9:00minsincludesfootagepurchasedfromPatheNewsofKelsoCochranesfuneralAshortdocumentaryaboutCharliePhillipscoveringthecurationofHowGreatThouArt