HowGreatThouArtfiftyyearsofAfricanCaribbeanFuneralsinLondon

ByCharliePhillips

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1.Takenin1970atSammysfuneralinKensalRiseCemetery,thisphotographisoneofthreepicturesofRedlamentingthelossofhisdrinkingpartner.OfRedsthreegestureswechosethisimagebecauseitmimicsthecross,amotifthatfeaturesheavilyinCharliescompositionalstyle.

2.BaronBakersfuneral,KensalRise.BaronBakeriscreditedwithbeingthechiefstrategistinleadingthedefenseagainstamobof400racistsinNottingHillonaniggerhuntin1958.HeiscreditedwithteachingtheyouthofNottingHillthetacticalandtechnicalknowledgetocreatepetrolbombsandbarricades.

3.ThedapperdoninthefurcoatisthelegendaryParachute,purveyorofvintageclothing.HisshopinLadbrokeGroveisthehauntofcelebritiesandfashionistasalike.AlongtimefriendofCharlie,hefeaturesinseveralphotographsintheexhibition.TakenatGallaruesfuneral,NunheadCemetery.

4.MrNodes(theelder)leadingpallbearersatafuneralinNottingHillintheearly1960s.Nodes&SonFuneralDirectorsareunderstoodandrespectedforbeingthefirstfirmofundertakerstoofferfuneralservicesthatreflectedthefunerarycustomsoftheAfricanCaribbeancommunityinLondon.

5.UndertakerwithJamaicanflagfloraltributeatMussusfuneral.Mussuwasacelebratedganjawholesaler.Hisordersofserviceareillustratedwithimagesofganjaleavesplacedaroundhishead.Asaprolificimporterandproducerhesuppliedthehighestgradesoftheplantfordecades,andathisfuneralreception,whichfeaturesinCharliesvideo,arescenesthatreflectthenotorietyofhisassembledguests.

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1.MadamesgreatgrandchildrenatherfuneralinKensalRise.Madameappearstwiceonthiswall.SheisshowninheryouthwithashoppingtrolleyandinlateryearswithsilverhairsingingatBaronBakersgraveside.

2.WhilstRedclosesthegraveatSammyCoteysfuneral,themournerssing.

3.Madame,MissIceyandBountyareshownamongotherguests.Madamearrivedatthisfuneralwithhershoppingtrolley,havingheardaboutitwhilstoutinShepherdsBushMarket.

4.ThemajorityofCharliesphotographsfromthe1960saretakenonamediumformatRolleicordcamera.Hisphotographshavebeenreproducedfromnegativesinourdarkrooms,fullframesquare6/6format.Inthisportraitwecanseeaspectsofacyancolourcast,whichistheresultofoptingforafaithfulreproductionoverdigitalenhancement.

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1.Anintergenerationalgroupstandingbythegraveside.Thisphotographisafineexampleofthecomplexitiesofhandprinting,thenegativebeingunderexposedwhileeachfacerequiresitsownexposuretime.Theshadowdetailwasenhancedusingseleniumtonerandhighlightsmanagedbypreflashingthepaper.

2.CliveMashupPhillips,leaderofthelegendaryMangroveSteelBandatFrankCritchlowsfuneral,2010.

2.GregoryIsaacsLondonfuneral,2010.ThefirstoftwofuneralsforIsaac.ThisparticularonetookplaceinLondonandthe2ndwhenhisbodywasinterredinJamaica.

3.Kwakuleadsalivelycortege:abrassband,andhundredsofmourners.ThisisthesecondtimethatMissCherryhasshutBrixtondown.Thefirsttimewasin1985whenDorothyCherryGrocewasshotandparalysedbypolice.HershootingsparkedtheBrixtonuprisingsasmanyatthetimethoughtshehadbeenmurderedandsoughttoconfrontthePolice.

4.ClintonEastwoodJonesatCassidysfuneral,KensalRise,1972.CassidywasamechaniccommonlyknownasMileAway,whoseadorationfortheLandRoverwassuchthathisdyingwishwasthathisbodybecarriedinhisLandRoverratherthanthetraditionalhearse.

5.DorothyCherryGrocedied26yearsaftershewasshotandparalysedbypolice.Atthetime,thepoliceclaimeditwasanaccidentbutapublicenquiryintotheshooting29yearslaterdeterminedthattheshootingwasnotanaccident.Thetruthis,CherryGrocewasshotasaresultofaseriesofastonishingfailuresbyofficersacrosstherankstofollowproceduresdesignedtoprotectthepublic.

6.AgroupofCassidysfriendsstandingaroundhisgraveatKensalRiseCemetery.InthemiddleisClintonandtohisrightisRonnieBriggs,whoseNineNightwasheldathismechanicsworkshopinLadbrokeGrove.

7.MrNodes(theyounger)andFatherJohnBrownsellatAllSaintsChurch,NottingHill.

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1.MournerswithorangehymnsheetsatJohnLaRosesfuneral,HighgateCemetery,London.LintonKwesiJohnsonwroteJohnsobituaryintheGuardian,inithesaysJohnwasnotonlymymentor,friend,comrade,hewaslikeafathertome.HewasthemostremarkablehumanbeingIhaveeverknown.

2.LauraineFerronholdingthecross,IshmahilBlagrovewithdigitalcameraandtheNottingHillCarnivalsmostcelebrateddancerallatDukeVinsfuneral,2012.DukeVincreatedBritainsfirstJamaicanstylesoundsysteminthe50s,thesecondbeingCountSuckles.TheybothimmigratedtoEnglandasstowawaysandthefirsteversoundclashinBritainwherebetweentheirrespectivesounds.ThegenesisofDJculture,soundsystems,clubcultureandtheNottingHillCarnivalcanbetracedbacktothesetwostowaways.

3.Charliesaysthatthispicturedefinesmodernfuneralsandcallsit,SimplyTheBest,reflectinghownewsongsaredefininganewgenerationandtheirvalues.Charlielamentshowmoderndayfuneralsnolongerusehymns,andSimplytheBest,SongsformyFatherandMyWay,whicharenowthethemesongstomodernfunerals.

4.AfricanandAfricanCaribbeanDrummersatthegravesidewearingwhite,basedonEthiopianorthodoxtraditions.

5.ReminiscingbythegravesideofUncleSonsfuneralwithBaronBakerlookingon.Thiscomicqualitiesofthisphotographwherenotlostonusaswechosethisimagepreciselybecauseofitscomedyvalue.

6.Inthecentreoftheframe,Parachutegreetsanothergentlemanwhilstinthedistanceamanchillaxesonagrave.

7.LeroysfuneralfeaturedahorsedrawncarriageandtheattendancewassogreatthatmanymournersincludingCharliewhereleftoutsidethechurchofSt.MatthewsinBrixton.

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1.WomeninthetraditionalblackandwhiteattireasrequestedatBabysfuneral,Tooting.

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1.MissIcey,MissTinyandBountyatGalaruesfuneral,NunheadCemetery.

2.AuntGloriapouringsoilonUncleSonsgrave.KensalRiseCemetery,1970s.

3.SisterLove.EmpressjaiwritesaboutSisterloveinheressaywhichispublishedintheHowGreatThouArtbook.

4.FiveWomen.

5.ASingerSewingMachineisremadeasafloraltributeatadressmakersfuneral.FloraltributeshavecometosymbolisethedeceasedsfavouritebrandswiththemostpopularbeingRizla(blue),Guinness(Stout),Technics(SL1200)andbettingslips.Whenwesaythemostpopular,wemeanwithinCharliesarchive.

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1.TheTabernacleinNottingHillisoneofthemanycommunityspacesthathoststhefuneralreceptions.Theeventsareinsomecaseshugepartieswherethecommunitysocialises,commemoratesandcelebrates.

2.Mournerssingingandsmokingbythegraveside.

3.ThesecondinarunofsixshotsfromCharlies35mmOlympusOM10cameratakenatareceptionattheTabernacleinNottingHill.

4.Wailingingrief.

5.MissIceyeulogisesherdaughter,bythegraveside.

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1.AyoungcouplecomforteachotheratMr.Briggssfuneral.

2.Twofuneralstakingplaceatthesametime,bothatKensalRiseCemetery.

3.Agroupofmourners.

4.MrNodes(theyounger)skillfullyleadingpallbearersoutofAllSaintsChurch,NottingHill.

5.Thisphotographillustrateshowasympatheticshoulderandthepromisethateverythingwillbealrightisallthatcanbesaidanddone.

6.ThisisoneofCharliesearlierphotographs.Thenegativehasdisintegratedalittleontherighthandsideduetowaterandpoorstorage.Inmanyrespectsthisphotographembodiesthebeliefthatallphotographsareamomentomori.

7.AtLenGarrisonsfuneralthegroundwasfrozensoadiggerwasneededtoclosethegrave.Thisisunusualasfuneralattendeesnormallyclosethegravethemselves.WandsworthCemetery,2003

8.Bycontemporarystandardsthisgraveismodestlydressed,butitsatestamenttoanothertimeandtheevolutionofvaluesandsocialstatus.

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1.AtFrankCritchlowsfuneral,mournerswereaskedtowearscotchbonnetberets.HerewecanseeMonstersportingitfreshfor2010withaCubancigar.

2.MrWatsonwasamemberoftheWestIndianExServicemenandWomensAssociation.HerehiscoffinisdrapedinaUnionJacktoreflecthistimeservingintheBritishmilitary.

3.Dayreleaseisgrantedtoprisonerssotheytocanpaytheirlastrespects.Inthisphotographtheprisoneriscuffedtohiswardenwhilsthepayshisrespectstohisfather.

4.ProfessorAugustineJohnpresidingatthegravesideofJohnLaRose.

5.BrotherLove

49framedprintsintotal17xB&Wand32xColourFramessizes:Colour:2xP:53x51cm,27xL:51x53cmand5xP:58x50cmB&W:15xL:51x53cmRunningmetresrequired:25.38m

AllBlackandWhitephotographshavebeenprintedbyNickJonesonIlfordCooltonepaperinPhotofusionscommunitydarkrooms.

AllColourphotographshavebeenprintedbyDannyPopeatPhotofusionscommunitydarkrooms.

Additionalitems:Catalogue/Book:HowGreatThouArt:50YearsofAfricanCaribbeanFuneralsinLondoncurrentlyoutofprint,butindiscussionstohaveitrepublished.OrdersofServicecollectedbyCharliePhillipsHi8videotapedocumentaryshotfrom19992014Filming:CharliePhillipsEditor:EddieOtchereRunningtime:22:00mins

AneditedselectionoffootageshotbyCharliePhillipsatfuneralssince1999includinginterviewswithfuneralsattendees,footageofNineNights,burial,celebrationoflifeandmemorials.

LibationbyProfessorGusJohn.IntroducingCharliePhillips20102014Filmed&Editedby:EddieOtchereRunningtime:9:00minsincludesfootagepurchasedfromPatheNewsofKelsoCochranesfuneralAshortdocumentaryaboutCharliePhillipscoveringthecurationofHowGreatThouArt