Liverpool Irish Festival – Portrayal After Fredrick Douglass
Wed 28 Sep 2022
DOWNSTAIRS AT THE EVERYMAN
Liverpool Irish Festival
Photographic discussion workshop on the life and influence of Frederick Douglass.
Famed African-American abolitionist and social reformer Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) sailed to Ireland from Liverpool in 1845, witnessing at first hand the suffering caused by the Irish Famine. It is understood two Irishmen inspired Douglass to escape his enforced slavery in America, which remains celebrated in a mural on the Falls Road, Belfast. Before sailing to Ireland, it is understood that Frederick stayed in a temperance house in Liverpool, later speaking at Hope Place (where now stands the Everyman).
Frederick Douglass was a master at using early photography to aid representation. Always presenting as well-dressed, proud and educated, Douglass repeatedly used his image to speak about Black rights and break the visual culture of ‘Black exoticism’. He adopted Western styles of dress and hair styling, sitting in classic portrait poses to show himself as ‘like all others’.
Ruth McHugh invites you to have your image taken, amidst items you feel help to represent you. Ruth will develop these images and work them into a Daguerreotype-style and participants will receive these sepia portraits within a month of the workshop. You will work with resources that highlight the struggles Douglass -and all people oppressed for their race- face. As the workshop develops, participants will talk through some of Douglass’s experiences; learn about his connections with Liverpool and Ireland and see what form his actions against racism took. In doing so, we can learn something about our image, what a selfie says about us and how we identify with our representation.
The 9.30am session will have a young-person’s focus, whilst the 1pm session would be more suited to adults.
There will be just 12 places in each workshop, so we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.