Hasta La Ideas

London-based music fans would be wise to head over to the Peckham Space, where artist Barby Asante has curated The South London Black Music Archive, a celebration of the music history of the region…

The gallery space has been transformed into an ‘open archive’, exploring the objects and personal stories central to the evolution of black music in South London. On show are record sleeves, posters, concert tickets and a lovely display of audio equipment through the ages:

Asante is also inviting members of the public to share their own music ephemera, which will be added to the show. Her aim is to raise awareness of how influential the music scene of South London has been. “The influence of black music on the development of popular music is often overlooked,” he says. “Black music has also played a significant role in the development of British culture from the 1950s and this is a great opportunity to provide a platform for people to consider the significance of this cultural activity on their lives.”

In addition to the archival work on show, the design collective Åbäke has designed a limited edition record sleeve for the exhibition, which is shown above (top image). The exhibition also features a map of key music venues in the area (above), that people can add to.

All photographs: © John Clare

The exhibition will be on show at Peckham Space until March 24. Tate Modern is hosting a panel discussion with Barby Asante about the exhibition on February 3, which will be chaired by Paul Goodwin, independent curator on Black Urbanism. More info on the exhibition and the talk is at peckhamspace.com.