A print of Idris Phillips’ 3-d portrait is featured at The National Coal Mining Museum‘s exhibition about African Caribbean miners contribution to coal mining in the U.K. .
The National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield recently opened an exhibition “Digging Deep: Miners of African Caribbean Heritage” by the Nottingham New Centre.
“Over decades, African Caribbean coal miners stood shoulder to shoulder with white British, European and Asian miners, toiling underground to help fuel the UK economy. Some even died in the process. Yet they are the forgotten ones. Their part in Britain’s industrial past has never been told…until now.
In the first ever exhibition looking at the role of immigrants in the coal industry, Digging Deep: Miners of African Caribbean Heritage explores black miners’ migration memories adjusting to life in the UK; finding work in the collieries; teamwork, camaraderie and discrimination; memories of accident, injuries and death at the colliery; the struggle for industrial and personal survival; legacy and life after mining.
This exhibition curated by historian, Norma Gregory with the valuable support and input from many former miners and their families, Nottingham News Centre volunteers, project partners and supporting organisations marks a fresh contribution to understanding and hearing unheard, diverse voices from UK coalfields.”
(text from National Coal Mining Museum”)
The featured portrait was originally part of The Coal Face installation. Below