National Museums Liverpool Blog - 42 women

As her rather wonderful exhibition '42' Women of Sierra Leone closes in just two weeks on Tuesday 5 June, I asked photographer Lee Karen Stow for an update on the project.

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"It’s been a little over a year since 42 opened at the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, and what a year it’s been. The exhibition is a major platform for this very personal photographic documentary work on the lives of women in a country where life expectancy for them hovers around the mid-40s.

42 has also served as an inspiring tribute to the members of our grassroots Women with Cameras project in Sierra Leone. Slowly, and with many barriers to overcome, the women are using photography to earn incomes, advocate for change on issues which affect them, and explore creative expression. Photography is having a significant impact on their lives, and their growing and fascinating catalogue of images show what life is really like, on the ground, in this West African country.

Since Rebecca Kamara from Freetown, Sierra Leone, officially opened the exhibition on International Women’s Day 2011, much has happened. Rebecca returned to her rural village to grow her photography business, armed with a donated generator, finally to have electricity. Francess Ngaboh-Smart visited the UK to deliver slideshow talks, workshops in schools, and then to accept a scholarship to study at the Pacific NorthWest Art School in the US with National Geographic photographer Sam Abell. I returned to Sierra Leone for a sixth visit to continue 42 and Women with Cameras, and also the Fighting for Gold photo essay, which I hoped might help the women’s boxing team, desperate for support, realise their dreams of taking part in the Olympic Games at London 2012.

So many highs, but too many lows. Francess was robbed at gunpoint in her own home and had her precious laptop stolen. Gladys - in fact, many women - were struck by malaria. Rebecca, on her way to have wedding photos printed for a client, was hit by a taxi (I spoke to her by Skype and her foot is still swollen, she has pains in her head and her eyeball hurts so much she’s keeping her eye closed for comfort). Grace Brown, head of the women’s boxing team died, during this Olympic year, from breast cancer at the age of 43. She had also suffered a stroke.

Sometimes I feel helpless, hopeless and inadequate, but more often than not I feel immensely proud to know such spirited women who seem to pick themselves up at lightning speed, and carry on, because they have to. No other option. And they still have hope. It’s vital to follow their example, to keep going and keep hoping.

On behalf of 42 and Women with Cameras, I want to thank everyone who came to see our exhibition, and hear these ladies speak. Support, interest and encouragement from the public has been tremendous and we promise to tell you, and show you, more. Thank you!"

It is with great sadness that I tell you that Grace Brown, the head of the Sierra Leone women’s boxing team has passed away. She was 43.

Grace is featured in the exhibition ‘42’ Women of Sierra Leone at the International Slavery Museum, a display of work by photojournalist Lee Karen Stow. The exhibition documents the lives of women living in West Africa where women’s life expectancy is in the mid 40s.

Despite the obstacles, Grace and her female boxers had a dream of reaching London 2012 when, for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, the ban on women's amateur boxing will be lifted.

Sadly, and frustratingly, a lack of in-country sponsorship and support meant the women were not able to try for the early qualifying rounds in order to have a decent chance of reaching the Olympics.

At the same time, Grace fell seriously ill. She underwent a mastectomy and suffered a stroke. She became housebound, unable to train and box, and relied on the power of prayer to ease the pain.

In September 2011, Grace allowed Lee to photograph her, at her home, surrounded by her team mates (picture above). She raised a defiant fist and said quietly 'Gold', determined for her team one day to reach the Olympics and bring home the Gold medal.

Richard Benjamin, head of the International Slavery Museum says:

“I was deeply saddened to hear that Grace Brown, head of the Sierra Leone women's boxing team, who is featured in our current 42 exhibition, has passed away at the age of 43. 
 
“This poignant exhibition shows that even though life expectancy for women in Sierra Leone is in the mid-40s - the spirit, achievements and indeed hope of many women shine through on a daily basis.   Grace was one such woman and our thoughts go out to her friends and family."

Lee’s aim for the exhibition is to show that these women, and women in similar circumstances, should be given the right to live, not die and follow their dreams and ambitions without being held back.

In response to Grace’s death Lee raises the question:

“How many talented and committed athletes are being ignored and not given the chance to pursue their dreams, purely because of their circumstances and geographical locations?”.

To see more pictures of Grace click here and to find out more about the exhibition click here.  

Last year photographer Lee Karen Stow launched her exhibition '42' Women of Sierra Leone at the International Slavery Museum, with the help of her former student Rebecca Kamara, who is one of the 42 women featured in the exhibition. At the opening events Rebecca spoke about how the photography workshops that Lee taught in Sierra Leone have inspired her to earn a living as a photographer. She has faced huge challenges, as she lives in a rural village and didn't even have any electricity at home until recently - something that photographers in the UK take for granted to charge camera batteries and run their computers!

Lee returned to Liverpool last week to add some new photos to her exhibition. Rebecca couldn't join her this time, but Lee visited her in Sierra Leone in September and took the photograph above, which should bring a smile to the face of anyone who met her last year. As you can see, Rebecca has built her own photo studio, with help from UK and US donations and support, but also through her own photography business and photographic sales. She has now also set up a women's photography group in the village.

Rebecca isn't the only one who has been busy. As well as updating the 42 exhibition, while she was in Liverpool Lee gave a talk about her latest projects. A chance meeting with a member of the Women's Boxing Team in Sierra Leone led to the 'Fighting for Gold' project. On her return to the UK she photographed women boxers in clubs across Yorkshire for the 'Girls in the ring' project, and even started boxing herself.

The contrasts in conditions for women boxers in the two countries is shocking. In Sierra Leone the Women's Boxing Team train at a gym with no running water, no showers and no free NHS to help with any injuries. They didn't even have their own gloves when they first started to train and had to borrow gloves from the male boxers.

Despite this, when women's boxing was included in the London 2012 Olympics for the first time they were determined to compete. Unfortunately this dream was not to be, so they have now set their sights on the 2016 Olympics instead. Portraits of some of these inspiring women are now included in the 42 exhibition, which is at the International Slavery Museum until 3 June 2012.

It's all happening at the International Slavery Museum at the mo, with an exciting weekend ahead in the Docklands Extravaganza (keep an eye on the blog for more news about that soon). Hot on the heels of the announcement that the new Capoeira Club will start in March, Vikky Evans Hubbard has news of a great free talk next week:
 

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The International Slavery Museum, Liverpool is currently hosting an exhibition called '42' Women of Sierra Leone by the photographer Lee Karen Stow. Lee has been photographing and championing the women of Sierra Leone for several years, forming strong friendships with many of them. The exhibition is called 42, not only because it  is made up of 42 portraits of women, but because the average life expectancy for a woman in Sierra Leone is just 42.
 
During her time there Lee encountered the Sierra Leone Women's Boxing team and began not only photographing them, but a mission to get them recognised by the Sierra Leone sports council and into the 2012 Olympics. 'Fighting for Gold'  are the photographs that came out of it.
 
For her next project she started to document women's boxing in Hull. The  powerful photographs, 'Girls in the Ring' were the result. 'Girls in the Ring' features female boxers from across the clubs in Yorkshire, including Nicola Adams from Leeds, ranked third in the world and a London 2012 hopeful, and 82-year-old Barbara Buttrick, born in Cottingham in 1930, and who became the world’s first women’s professional boxing champion.  This project has been awarded the 2012 Inspire Mark. The London 2012 Inspire programme recognises innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

'Girls in the Ring' is a photographic look at the growing number of amateur female boxers. Lee initiated the project around the time the International Olympic Committee made the decision to lift the ban on women's boxing for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games.

The decision shows how far women’s boxing has come. According to the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) the number of registered female members (including boxers, coaches and officials) in the ABAE has risen from 50 in 2005 to 868 and there are approximately 16,000 females aged 16 years and over who participate in boxing in some form.
 
Lee will be talking about both projects at International Slavery Museum on Thursday 9 February, 5.30pm. This is a free event, please ring 0151 478 4456 to reserve a place.

In March this year photographer Lee Karen Stow launched an exhibition of her work at the International Slavery Museum. The exhibition ‘42’ Women of Sierra Leone is a moving and powerful exhibition that explores the life of women in Sierra Leone, West Africa.

The exhibition is on display at the perfect time because 27 April 2011 will be the 50th anniversary of Sierra Leone’s independence after being under British colonial rule. To celebrate this landmark date Soroptimist International will hold an event at the International Slavery Museum on 27 April from 11am – 4pm.

Soroptimist International is a worldwide service organisation for women. Members of Soroptimist International inspire action and create opportunities to transform the lives of women and girls. Since 2007 they have been supporting 'Project SIerra' in Sierra Leone

Booking is recommended but not essential for this free event. To book your place please contact learning@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

The big day is approaching, the day when flower sales rocket and card shops are filled to capacity. That’s right it’s Mother’s Day, the one day in the year when we say thanks to our mums for generally being lovely.

But is one day enough perhaps everyday should be Mother’s Day? Especially in developing countries where women face serious health problems including death because of complications due to pregnancy and birth. As well as risking their own health, mothers in countries such as Sierra Leone face losing their children. 

Some of the women photographed by Lee Karen Stow in the exhibition ‘42’ Women of Sierra Leone have stories to tell of the difficulties of motherhood before their child even comes into the world.

For example Rebecca Kamara (pictured below) gave birth to Raymond, her first-born, in a traditional birth attendant's room in a rural village in Sierra Leone. She had no pain relief and the room, with its resident chicken, was lit with candles and a torch. They were lucky, both survived. Follow the link to hear her story

 

Next Thursday 3 March 2011 sees the official launch of photography exhibition ‘42’ Women of Sierra Leone at the International Slavery Museum. The exhibition of 42 colour photographs documents the lives of women of Sierra Leone, one of the poorest countries in the world.

Members of the public are invited to attend the launch where there will be a special in-conversation event with photographer Lee Karen Stow and Rebecca Kamara, one of the women featured in the exhibition.

Guests are asked to arrive at the International Slavery Museum Campaign Zone at 1.30pm where refreshments are available.  From 2pm there will be an in-conversation event between Lee Karen Stow and Rebecca Kamara. Afterwards from 3.00pm guests have the opportunity to ask questions.

Spaces for this event are limited so please RSVP by Wednesday 2 March 2011 to learning@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk or call 0151 478 4543

There's a very exciting year ahead at the International Slavery Museum and yesterday I got to meet the women behind the venue's latest project with the working title 'The woman I am'.

The project is led by photo journalist Lee Karen Stow, whose exhibition '42' Women of Sierra Leone opens at the museum in March, to coincide with International Women's Day. In addition to taking photographs herself, Lee has run a number of workshops in Sierra Leone and the UK, teaching women digital photography skills.

This week she has been working with the Liverpool Women Asylum Seekers Together (WAST) group on the photography workshops for 'The woman I am'. The group have are hoping to exhibit the photographs they have taken in the new centre for the Women's Organisation, which opens soon in the city. A selection of their photographs will also be featured on the '42' exhibition website.

When I caught up with them they were taking portrait photographs and had brought in some fabulous colourful clothes from their home countries to wear - and dress Lee and volunteer Abi in! Some photos from the day are in the WAST photography workshop set on Flickr.

Update 02/03/2011: You can now see the online exhibition of 'The Woman I am' on the website.

Lee told me that it had been a very successful week:

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"This week about sixteen women from all parts of the world have taken part - from Tibet, the Congo, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana. Women who maybe have done a little bit of photography before, snapshots, but they’ve never really focussed on using the camera to explore the things they like and things about themselves.

I have to give enormous thanks and credit to these women because they’ve come here this week, many of them are going through horrendous difficulties either with red tape, forms or legal implications; or stress or worries about back home or their future here.

And yet they’ve come in, picked up the cameras, listened to a few basic instructions and they’ve gone out and they’ve taken some really good pictures. Their energy has just been a complete overwhelming buzz to the class, so it's been a great experience, I’ve really enjoyed it and I think they have too.

There is a stereotypical view of asylum seekers. But if people look beyond the stereotype they will see women just like us with problems and dreams, wanting to make a better life for themselves."