News from the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool: Artist LR Vandy created a new outdoor sculpture that carries the message to those outside its traditional walls. The installation, which has been on display since 6 April, is titled "Dancing in Time: The Ties That Bind Us". The work is also in the context of the museum's construction project, the Waterfront Transformation Project. 

The International Slavery Museum opened in August 2007 and is currently located on the third floor of the Maritime Museum in the Royal Albert Dock. As part of the Waterfront Transformation Project, a new entrance is planned at the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building, which will lead to additional spaces. It is the only national museum in the world dedicated to the transatlantic slave trade, its legacy and contemporary forms of slavery. It will also become an international hub for resources on human rights issues and campaigns. One of the world's most renowned architectural firms, the British-Ghanaian Adjaye Associates, has been commissioned. The major project is funded by the Heritage Horizon Awards of the The National Lottery Heritage Fund (heritagefund.org.uk).

With her rope sculpture, LR Vandy wanted to evoke the feeling of dance - movement. "How people throughout the ages have used dance to break free from oppressive systems." The rope itself has both symbolic and historical significance, having been used in ancient construction, colonisation building and empire building through shipping, but also has an uncanny association with slavery and captivity. Nicola Selsby-Cunningham, Head of Exhibitions at National Museums Liverpool, says: "I can't think of a more fitting artist to bring the story of historic slavery and seafaring outside our museum walls to the public. This sculpture is a visually stunning work of art with a multi-layered story that offers powerful insights and perspectives on the compelling issues of our time."

27 April 2023

Interview Directory 

DÜSSELDORF

Name: LR Vandy

Occupation: Artist, former art director MTV Awards. In a former life, jewellery designer for John Galliano, Tina Turner, the David Bowie film "Labyrinth".

Studio: Chatham Historic Dock Yard, Kent

Status: Feels privileged through art to have a platform to tell stories related to injustice. But there also has to be a sense of play and fun in it.

"Rope has such powerful symbolism, positive and negative, constructive and destructive: the force of these opposing ideas helps to create a sense of tension that can be imagined within the work."

Could you tell the readers about your artwork and its meaning?

A lot of my work is centred around celebrating and or exposing the underrepresented stories of humanity.

For the artwork you collaborated with the Liverpool Master Ropemakers. What is the significance of the rope for you and the artwork?

I recently moved my studio to Chatham Historic Dock Yard where they still have a working ropery. It was impossible for me to miss an opportunity to work with this material. Rope has such powerful symbolism, positive and negative, constructive and destructive: the force of these opposing ideas helps to create a sense of tension that can be imagined within the work. Much of their work deals with issues of migration, the Atlantic slave trade, exploitation and human trafficking. Is this how the collaboration with the International Slavery Museum came about?

National Museums Liverpool contacted the October Gallery which represents me and saw some of my 700mm high rope sculptures. Nicola Selsby-Cunningham the Senior Exhibitions Officer asked if I’d be interested in making a larger figure for their final pop-up installation on Canning Dock. It was also such a great moment to bring the artwork out of the museum – and into the public realm. We could all see the relevance of the material to the site, it’s a perfect fit!

What does the collaboration with the International Slavery Museum Liverpool mean to you and your work?

Dancing In Time: The Ties That Bind Us is an important piece of work for both the International Slavery Museum and me, it’s a wonderful opportunity to show such a large scale piece in such a poignant and beautiful location. The International Slavery Museum have been incredible throughout the whole process which has only been two months from commission to installation, a very quick turnaround. We also have to thank the National Lottery Heritage Fund for their amazing support and for realising the ambitions of what we’re trying to create here – supporting the journey and the overall vision of the museum. It’s great.

"It’s a privilege to be given a platform, it therefore feels right to use it to tell other stories, those that pertain to injustices. However there has to be a sense of play and fun too."

Is all your work politically motivated? But you also said in another interview that fun also plays a big role.

It’s a privilege to be given a platform, it therefore feels right to use it to tell other stories, those that pertain to injustices. However there has to be a sense of play and fun too, it’s easier to communicate darker ideas if there is some light within the narrative…I try to strike a balance.

What are your favourite materials to use as an artist?

It’s always the material I’m currently working with, so that’ll be rope!

I read that you also designed jewellery for John Galliano and all the jewellery for the David Bowie film Labyrinth?

I did, it’s true…and Tina Turner. I also Art Directed the MTV Awards for 3 years in a row…another life.

How did you come to adopt the artist name LR Vandy?

I had a website with my last career so I didn’t want people to mix me up. When I was at school it was fashionable to have a Penguin book in your blazer pocket and the authors always had 2 initials before their surname - a very good way to appear gender neutral. I’ve had a couple of people at galleries ask me if I’m related to LR Vandy, I say yes very closely!

What do you want to achieve further as an artist and what projects can we look forward to?

Public Art is of great interest to me, we’ve seen over COVID just how much people are enjoying outdoor works, so much of which is free. I do want to make more large scale works however my next body of work will be a series of over twenty 500-700mm high rope figures as an installation. Who knows there may be another spin off, slight pun intended.