Elsa James's exhibition "It Should Not Be Forgotten" at Firstsite in Colchester, UK, confronts Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade through immersive installations. The show features a floor covered with larger-than-life photographs of the artist, recalling the diagram of enslaved Africans on the slave ship Brooks, accompanied by a cello soundscape by Kirke Gross. Other works give voice to enslaved women Phibbah and Molia, documented in the journals of their 18th-century owner Thomas Thistlewood, subverting historical narratives. The exhibition builds on James's earlier "Black Girl Essex" residency, which challenged the racist and sexist "Essex Girl" stereotype.
The exhibition matters because it directly addresses the erasure of Black history in Britain, using personal and political art to force viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about the nation's colonial past. By centering the experiences of enslaved women and reclaiming regional identity, James challenges collective amnesia and offers a model for how contemporary art can rewrite silenced histories. The show also highlights the ongoing relevance of regional art institutions like Firstsite in fostering critical dialogues about race, identity, and memory.