Windrush 5 – Icon
83cms x 83cms Mounted on canvas and framed in dark wood.
£350
Stitched and painted portrait, free hand machine stitch using Benjamin’s words (with kind permission of Benjamin Zephaniah)
Benjamin Zephaniah is one of Britain’s most influential contemporary poets. I wanted this first of two pieces, to be a visual celebration and continue the theme of the Windrush series of quilts, all of which will be on show in Leamington in 2025, with their themes of settlement, identity and transformation. Benjamin, and the wider Caribbean migration of Windrush, has shaped the cultural fabric of the UK.
The private image I’ve used for this stitched and painted portrait was provided by Benjamin’s wife Qian, and captures a moment of pure joy – he looks so happy – and it’s been a terrific challenge to capture this happiness requiring some technical skill both in stitching and painting and a hope that I’ve managed to justice in to such a significant moment in his life.
The background is 24ct gold leaf and I hope this makes it a little like an icon, and that it also brings luxury and significance. The words stitched on the quilt, with kind permission of Benjamin himself, are from the poem “The Men From Jamaica Are Settling Down” and are a direct reference to Windrush and the problems and joys of migration, settlement and integration. Being a portrait taken from Qian and Benjamin’s marriage, I hope it also hints and love and partnership that is beyond cultural and national boundaries.