Blood & Fire: Our Journey Through Vanley Burke’s History

Thursday - Saturday from 1 June - 4 November 2023

Images taken by renowned photographer Vanley Burke join archival material from his personal collection, taking visitors on a journey through the artist’s history and the Black British experience.

 

As one of the UK’s leading Black artists of the commonwealth generation, this exhibition focuses on Vanley Burke’s journey to illustrate a wider, connected history of Black British experiences using the communities of Birmingham as a lens.

The artist has re-examined his personal collection after he lost a number of archival materials to a house fire. The fire served as a turning point for his art practice and this exhibition questions what it means to put these objects into a curatorial and historical context, gathering our past to pave the way for our future.

Information
  • Exhibition open Thursday – Saturday, 11am-4pm, until 4 Nov 2023.
  • Free entry. No booking required. Donations are welcomed. You can donate when you visit or online.
  • The exhibition is located in the visitor centre at Soho House.
  • Due to a problem with drainage in the cellar and basement areas of Soho House. The exhibition is open.

More Birmingham Listings MORE

Birmingham Wednesday 15 October – Thursday 16 October 2025

Black is the Color of my Voice

Back by overwhelming demand, Apphia Campbell’s Black is the Color of My Voice returns to the Birmingham Rep…

Birmingham Wednesday 5 November

CBSO 2025/26: Kazuki & Isata Kanneh-Mason

Few works in classical music combine personal expression and virtuosic brilliance quite like Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto. Renowned…

Birmingham Saturday 8 November

The Stylistics

With a legacy spanning over five decades, The Stylistics continue to embody the soul and sophistication that made…

Birmingham Friday 16 January

Magic Of Motown

Seen by millions, The Magic of Motown returns with all the soul, style and sparkle that’s made it…

Birmingham Wednesday 10 June 2026

An Evening with Davóne Tines

An encounter with the spiritual across the centuries, this remarkable programme brings together the emotional intensity of Haydn,…