About
Led by Michael I. Ohajuru, this guided walking tour offers a fascinating exploration of the often-overlooked Black presence in the Gallery’s collection.
Ohajuru will select three paintings where Black figures appear, whether as kings, queens, musicians, entertainers or attendants, and delve into the roles and stories behind these representations.
By focusing on both celebrated and hidden images, the tour uncovers the history of Black people in European art, fostering deeper conversations about race, identity and visibility in historical works.
The meeting place for the tour is in Annenberg Court and headsets will be provided.
Your host
Michael I. Ohajuru is Project Director and Chief Evangelist of The John Blanke Project: a contemporary Art and Archive project celebrating John Blanke, the Black trumpeter to courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. He is also founder of Image of the Black tours in London Galleries.
Ohajuru speaks regularly on the Black presence in Renaissance Europe, with previous appearances at the Metropolitan Museum, New York, the National Gallery, London, Tate Britain, British Library, National Archives and the Victoria Albert Museum on the subject. He is a founding member of the Black Presence in British Portraiture network, managing their podcast – The BP2 Podcast.
The Black presence
Tickets
Standard: £20
Interested in joining as a Member? This is an event usually exclusive to Members. For those curious about joining, grab this opportunity to see what the kinds of events you could participate in.
Please meet next to the Getty Desk located in Annenberg Court for registration and to collect your headset (optional but recommended).