Joy gregory
Exhibitions

Joy Gregory: The Sweetest Thing

Acclaimed artist Joy Gre­go­ry has cre­at­ed new work in response to themes and ideas explored in RAM­M’s In Plain Sight exhibition.

This new commission consists of Gregory's first textile work, a series of photographs and a video. 'The Sweetest Thing' refers directly to the Combesatchfield embroidery on display in the exhibition.

Describing the inspiration for making the work, Gregory says:

“How black people are treated now stems from the history explored in this exhibition. It is a deeply troubling and uncomfortable history. This new work talks to the trade of unrefined sugar and refined sugar, by presenting it in a way that people take responsibility and understand the relationship between themselves and history.

"I’m interested in the stark contrast of the lives lived in the grand houses in Devon – all daintiness, pretty dresses and sitting down to tea – compared to the lives of the enslaved or the factory workers. I see my job as an artist to create curiosity and bring histories together. I am making things of beauty to talk about ugliness.”