London artworks celebrating Windrush generation restored after vandalism

The Guardian

3 days ago

Portraits celebrating the Windrush generation in the heart of Brixton have been restored after a vandalism attack led to a global outpouring of support.
The Windrush Untold Stories exhibition, displayed in Windrush Square, features 20 portraits and recollections of people who arrived in the UK from the Caribbean in the postwar era.
The exhibition, a joint project involving community groups, social enterprises and creatives, was launched at the Big Caribbean Lunch event celebrating Windrush Day on 22 June in Lambeth. But, in the early hours of 3 July, the portraits were slashed and daubed with green paint.
News of the attack led to community groups involved in the exhibition receiving support from all over the world, said Ros Griffiths, the chair of Friends of Windrush Square, with about £5,000 donated to an online fundraiser at GoFundMe in a week.
The fundraiser has not yet met the £15,000 target, which meant the restoration work was only possible with a loan, Griffiths said, but organisers were keen to see the exhibition restored quickly, and would keep the fundraiser open.
Griffiths added: 'Even though we did not achieve our target, we still went ahead and restored the portraits on credit because the stories couldn't wait. But we still ask everyone to continue to support the campaign to reach our goal, because every contribution helps to honour the legacy of our generation with the dignity and visibility it deserves.
'The public's response was overwhelming. The exhibition went viral. Messages of solidarity poured in from across the UK and beyond, as far away as Tokyo, any way they could connect with us, they did – people who had never set foot in Brixton. This is a testament of power of truth, visibility and collective pride.'
The exhibition, developed with groups including Friends of Windrush Square, Empathy Museum, Black Cultural Archives, Photofusion and Born or Made, had been due to end on 10 July, but has now been extended for another fortnight, with talks under way to move it to the Home Office. The equalities minister, Seema Malhotra, visited the scene this week.
The exhibition features a portrait of Clovis Samuel, one of the oldest members of the Windrush generation, who died recently, which gave this year's Windrush Day celebrations an added poignancy.
In a post on GoFundMe, Ed Errington, of Empathy Museum, said: 'This exhibition is more than just images. It's a proud and public celebration of the Windrush generation and their descendants – a space for collective memory, recognition, and resilience.'
The Metropolitan police said they arrested a 24-year-old man on Saturday 5 July, on suspicion of vandalism, and that he was taken to hospital due to concerns for his welfare.
He was further arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage and possessing articles with intent to destroy or damage property, although officers added that 'based on additional inquiries', they did not believe the incident is racially motivated, but are continuing to 'explore all possible motives.'