Reflection on ‘The 198 Gallery’

Reflection on ‘The 198 Gallery’

The text tells a story about how the 198 Gallery came into existence and how various youth projects have prospered since its foundation. The 198 Gallery is a multifaceted independent art gallery located in Herne Hill, South London. It presents the story of a beautiful art gallery born out of social unrest during the 1980s. The unrest was primarily exacerbated by the SUS Law, which required the police to indiscriminately and randomly stop and search young black men in the streets. The intensifying racism and discrimination experienced in UK urban cities resulted in an intense conflict between the locals and the police. Although it calmed for a while, the conflict later intensified in 1985 when a group of police officers stormed the house of a black mother, Cherry Groce. The government and local Black Community leaders worked hard to restore peace (Davis and Bayode, Folami, 2005). The peace restoration efforts saw the government funding Roots Community Limited which later, in 1988, became known as 198 Gallery. The Gallery has since then fostered the use of art to show a strong commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equality and to advocate against the white supremacy.

The effort that the Black Angels committed to the Black Angel Project stood out. It is indeed fascinating to read how a group of young people aged 15-16 (Davis and Bayode, Folami, 2005, p.83) developed a student-centered project which brought together other students from diverse cultures bringing about diversity at a time of social integration. Another Fascinating story was the story of Mohammed, a refugee child, who managed to make significant changes in his life. It is interesting how the story integrated the Phillips argument that “the only way to shift culture is to change the way people think about themselves” (Davis and Bayode, Folami, 2005, p.89).  While most of the young men around him were crime-mongers, he stood out and committed to his self-development and reunion with his parents. His life reflects the life of most refugees in modern times. They immigrate to developed nations with the hope of better opportunities so that they may improve the status of their families. Generally, I agree with the concepts presented in the article. Young people have indeed taken the lead in numerous instances in fostering social and community change. What is the role of the society, therefore, in ensuring that youths develop into responsible and culturally diverse individuals?

Reflection on Cultural Demarcation

Paul Dash, in his article Cultural Demarcation, discusses the level of diversity eminent in western cultures and perceives the conventional cultural understanding and interpretation by the westerners as one of the major limiting factors to establishing a world of diversity (Dash, 2005). He sees the change in attitudes to the mainstream cultural heritages as a primary necessity towards building an inclusive society. According to him, the change begins by transforming learning pedagogies in a manner that does not only foster “Britishness” but also interlocks with other cultures, practices, and people. He is convinced that the answer to the African Diaspora is not their seclusion but their integration in the British system Dash, 2005).

One of his arguments that stood out was on diaspora syncretism. He argues, “we can only be made visible by demonstrating the fusions and boundary-crossing that undergird al human life, and recognize that one cannot exist without the recognition of the other” (Dash, 2005, p.123).  His argument places diaspora culture at the very heart of the mainstream culture of the western countries and dehumanizes white imperialists who are against social and cultural integration. In agreement with Dash’s argument, accepting immigrants and assimilating their culture into the mainstream culture is a primary human responsibility. The integration is critical to attaining the ‘melting pot’ effect with different cultures blending to form stronger and more effective societies. It generates respect for other cultures, fosters a sense of unity, and boosts economic viability. Besides, it is the moral responsibility of every human being to ensure that other people have an accommodative quality of life and accepted in every way possible. However, some developed nations, instead of embracing social and cultural integration, are setting laws to limit it. Britain, Germany, and the United States are perfect examples. Such acts raise a question; Is cultural integration, despite its moral obligation, beneficial in its entirety?