Bring and Brag Collection

Knotty 2024

30 Jul

Written By Hannah Fox

A photograph of some of the objects on display includes a hot comb, a roti pan, a wooden dromedary camel, and part of an ink block print, all housed in a glass display case

Bring and Brag Collection

with Harold Offeh

When: 25 June - 25 August 2025
Where: Top floor of Durbar Hall at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, TN34 1ETl

Cost: Free entry

A showcase of objects exploring the histories and narratives of the Black experience in Hastings and beyond.

The Bring and Brag collection features items selected by artist Harold Offeh from the Hastings museum's archive alongside personal objects from local residents who took part in a workshop with Harold.

A Bring and Brag event was held on 9th June to launch the collection, as part of the Knotty Festival 2024.

Eight Black individuals of various ages and genders standing behind a table filled with objects, including a wooden game, a painted coconut, and a roti pan. They are in an ornate wooden room, all smiling and looking at the camera

By showcasing both 'everyday' objects from the local Black community and carefully curated 'museum' artefacts that connect with Africa and the African diaspora, this collection encourages us to ponder what makes an object suitable for preservation and public display.

Sparking meaningful dialogues about museum practices and how multiple voices and experiences can be represented and valued in cultural institutions.

Harold Offeh standing behind a table of objects, including a wooden game and beaded jeweller. Offeh is Black man, wearing glasses, a yellow baseball cap and a patterned shirt, and standing in an ornate wooden room. He is speaking into a mic

Harold Offeh articulated the essence of Bring and Brag, describing it as more than just a collection of objects:

"It's a model of what a museum should aspire to be. It's a place where collective memories are held, shared, and celebrated—a space for culture, critical dialogue, and meaningful engagement. By challenging traditional museum practices, Bring and Brag encourages us all to rethink the role of museums in preserving and promoting diverse narratives."

Bring and Brag was a collaboration between Home Live Art, Playing the Race Card and Hastings Museum and Art Gallery.
Playing the Race Card website.

It wa part of our co-curated ‘BLACK JOY!’ programme within Knotty, a festival of performance for the adventurous that ran from 6 to 16 June 2024.
Supported by Arts Council England
The museum is set within its own grounds with free parking.
There is flat access throughout the building for wheelchair users and for people with limited mobility.
There are passenger lifts and an accessible toilet.
Harold Offeh is an artist working in a range of media including performance, video, photography, learning and social arts practice. Offeh is interested in the space created by the inhabiting or embodying of histories. He employs humour as a means to confront the viewer with historical narratives and contemporary culture. He has exhibited widely in the UK and internationally including Tate Britain and Tate Modern, South London Gallery, Turf Projects, London, Kettle's Yard, Cambridge, Wysing Art Centre, Studio Museum Harlem, New York, MAC VAL, France, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Denmark and Art Tower Mito.