In just two weeks, Somerset House will unveil Making a Rukus! Black Queer Histories through Love and Resistance, an exciting new exhibition set to open on October 11, 2024. Running until January 19, 2025, this immersive experience, curated by artist and filmmaker Topher Campbell, promises to be a powerful exploration of Black LGBTQIA+ history, culture, and activism in Britain. Presented across the Terrace and Courtyard Rooms, the exhibition features over 200 objects, including rare archival materials, contemporary artworks, and brand-new commissions, all designed to honour and amplify the stories of Black queer pioneers.
Campbell, who co-founded the rukus! Federation with photographer Ajamu, has crafted an exhibition that is both a celebration and a radical act of remembrance. Visitors will delve into the origins of the rukus! Federation, starting with the collaboration between Campbell and Ajamu, whose friendship and creative partnership laid the groundwork for an archive that continues to influence Black queer art and activism today. Unseen items from their personal archives will be on display, alongside Campbell's iconic film The Homecoming: A Short Film about Ajamu, offering an intimate look at the foundation of the rukus! movement.
In room two, the exhibition expands to showcase the broader community of Black LGBTQIA+ individuals and organizations that have contributed to the rukus! archive. From meeting notes and posters to clothing and magazine articles, the room tells the story of collective resistance against homophobia and racism. Highlighting figures like poet Dorothea Smart, playwright Mojisola Adebayo, and photographer Rotimi Fani-Kayode, this section shines a spotlight on the creative and activist legacies that have shaped the Black queer experience in Britain.
The third room offers a more visceral experience, bringing visitors into the world of Black LGBTQIA+ club culture. Artist Evan Ifekoya’s interactive installation A Score, A Groove, A Phantom, A rukus! reimagines the euphoric energy of these underground spaces, where bodies, music, and desire converged to create bold expressions of identity. Soundscapes, fashion, HIV prevention materials, and flyers from legendary clubs like Bootylicious and Stallions will immerse visitors in a space where community and resistance thrived through celebration.
The final section of Making a Rukus! turns to film and oral histories. Visitors can view Sharing Tongues, a series of interviews with Black LGBTQIA+ individuals across the UK, as well as A Short Film About Us by Ramses Underhill-Smith, which examines the intersection of cultural and lesbian identities. These films, along with others in the rukus! archive, give voice to those whose stories are often left out of mainstream narratives, making clear the ongoing vitality of Black queer resistance.
The exhibition will also be accompanied by a rich public program, including tours led by Campbell himself and a special premiere of a new short film by Andy Mundy-Castle. The film, which will debut on Somerset House’s Channel on October 11, explores the theme of spaces through a conversation between Campbell and Ifekoya, offering a contemporary reflection on the exhibition’s themes.
With Making a Rukus!, Somerset House invites visitors not only to reflect on the past but also to engage with the present and future of Black queer creativity, activism, and love. This is more than an exhibition—it’s a call to continue making history.
