Lubaina Himid - Jelly Mould Pavilions For London, 2021

Publisher: Tate
Artwork: Jelly Mould Pavilions for London
Year: 2021
Material: Earthenware glazed with hand-painted detail and silkscreen decal
Edition: Limited Edition of 80, accompanied by a signed and numbered certificate
Condition: New
Dimensions: 14.5 cm x 17.5 cm x 8 cm

Lubaina Himid began Jelly Mould Pavilions in 2009 to raise questions about the purpose of monuments and whether there would ever be a city daring enough to commemorate the contribution made by people of the African diaspora to its history, culture and wealth. They were first displayed across six museums and galleries in Liverpool in 2010 and shown as part of the Northern Art Prize, Leeds Art Gallery in 2011, for which Himid received the People’s Choice Award.

On the occasion of the Tate Modern exhibition, Himid has imagined a Jelly Mould Pavilion for London. The limited edition has been made using a cast from an original Victorian jelly mould; a reminder of the African diaspora's link to the sugar industry and slavery. Himid’s design is inspired by brightly coloured motifs from kanga, a traditional printed fabric from East Africa and has been recreated on each jelly mould using glazing techniques and silkscreen decals. Many of the Jelly Mould Pavilions feature portraits of influential black people in the civil rights movement. For Jelly Mould Pavilions for London, 2021, Himid has chosen to depict an eye as a reminder of the human connection.