Fragments Of Belonging - The Premiere

The Screening and Exhibition

Last Tuesday (31st March), I watched Fragments of Belonging  on a big screen for the first time, alongside a room full of supporters. The response to the Eventbrite invite had been strong, with over 70 people signing up. 

The screening sat within the exhibition, which comprised the triptych created as part of the project, a selection of my own paintings and sketches, and a selection of community created artwork. It felt important to have all of these elements together, each one holding a different part of the project.

I don’t think anything quite prepares you for seeing your work like that. On a big screen, in a room full of people who have come to watch it. I felt it! The nerves, the excitement, and a sense of disbelief that this was actually happening. People came!! That meant a lot. Some I knew well, others not quite so well, and some I was meeting for the first time. They chose to be there, to give their time to the work.

When the film started, the room became very still. I was aware of people watching, following it, and probably responding in their own way. Afterwards, people spoke about it as reflective and thought provoking. Some said it stayed with them, others said it touched them. For others, it raised questions. That mattered to me, because that is what the work is trying to do.

The Q and A afterwards was just as important. We moved into the bar area and sat informally, no stage, no distance, just people gathered around. Hannah kicked things off, and then the questions came, one after the other. Some were direct, others more reflective, but all of them engaged with the work in a genuine way.

Then there was the applause... first at the end of the film, and again after the Q and A. I wasn’t expecting that. It’s hard to explain what that feels like, but I have to tell you, it gave me goosebumps!

I dedicated the film to my sister Liz, who was here when I started the project and shared my excitement with me, but wasn't able to see it completed. She had a journey of her own which began the day she left us on 20th August 2025. 

Fragments of Belonging was never meant to be a traditional documentary. It is closer to the way I write. I journal, I blog, I try to work things out through words. Fragments of Belonging is that, but in visual form. A visual essay, bringing together painting, poetry, film, and lived experience.

Whitehaven was where it began. A place where I now live, but also a place with a complicated history. Being in the harbour, touching the stone, reimagining history, I was trying to understand what it all holds. Then the work opened out and Ghana became part of it. A return that was personal, shaped by loss, memory, and connection allowed the project to grow into something larger than I first imagined.

There is more I’d like to do with it. I want to complete the triangle by visiting Antigua and learning from people who are here because their ancestors survived a perilous journey.

The exhibition continues until 24th April, with the film playing on a loop in the gallery. For those who would like to spend time with it, headphones are available.

This feels like an important part of where this work goes next. I’m grateful to Rosehill Theatre for their support in funding the project, to everyone who came to the screening, and to all those who have supported me in making this work possible.

As always I'd appreciate any comments in the comments section below. It helps the blog reach more people and keeps the conversation going.