Raymond Antrobus & James Massiah
This is a past event and is no longer available for booking - please head to our What's On page for our current programme
Raymond Antrobus & James Massiah
An Evening of Poetry, Conversation and Live Performance
Join us for a a double bill evening of conversation and live performance, with poet/writer Raymond Antrobus, in an exploration of identity, language and deafness and James Massiah, a multifaceted creative: poet, rapper, producer, DJ, performance artist, and curator. Hosted by visual artist and creative producer Cindy Sasha.
Outline of evening:
7:30-8:20pm Raymond Antrobus in conversation with readings
8:20-8:40pm Interval and signing
8:40-9:30pm James Massiah conversation and performance
This event will explore the inspirations behind their work and delve deeper into discussions about artistic expression and marginalised voices – interrogating what it means to be heard and to be understood.
Raymond’s latest work builds on his experience of growing up at the intersection of race and disability, having being diagnosed as deaf at age 6 and growing up with an English mother and Jamaican father in East London. Situating his story against deaf cultural figures who came before, he explores the shame of miscommunication, the joy of finding community and shines a light on the decline of deaf education in Britain.
Taking inspiration from rap, dancehall, dub, rave, acid as well as poetry, James takes inspiration from his background and upbringing, channelling the dark and electrifying energy of London’s nightlife, and tackling ideas of sexuality, love and loss, hedonism and morality.
‘Ray’s incredible capacity for documenting the interior is on full show here, traversing not just his griefs and losses but his hopes and joys too.’
Caleb Azumah Nelson
NB: This is a BSL-interpreted event
Limited number of free tickets to residents in postcodes CR4, CR7, SM3 and SM4 (restricted to two free tickets per event, per household).
Under-30s tickets : £6.50
2 for 1: Bring a Young Person for Free with code YOUTH at checkout.
About the Authors
Raymond Antrobus is an award-winning poet and author of four poetry titles. His poems have been added to GCSE syllabi and his work has won the Ted Hughes Award, the Somerset Maugham Award and the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. In 2019 he became the first ever poet to be awarded the Rathbone Folio Prize for best work of literature in any genre and in 2o21 was appointed an MBE.
James Massiah is an artist, poet and DJ, and a much-vaued creative in the underground world who has build a name as one of London’s most sought-after DJs. James has collaborated with artists including Massive Attack and Daniel Avery, and counts amongst his supporters John Cooper Clarke, Benji B and Neneh Cherry. He has performed readings at the Tate Modern, the Courtauld and the Houses of Parliament, as well as commissions for the BBC, The Guardian and Nike.
Cindy Sasha is a photographer, filmmaker and creative producer with over two decades in the music, film and fashion industry, including working with Vivienne Westwood. In 2020, Cindy founded Hear Art, a community interest collective to support deaf creatives and remove barriers in the arts industry. She also founded Shina Camera Club, an initiative designed to teach photograph to children from low socio-economic backgrounds.