‘As We Rise: Photography from the Black Atlantic’ is an exhibition of thoughtful, well-curated photographs grouped within set themes depicting the black community and African Diasporic culture.

The exhibit showcases work from black artists from Great Britain, Canada, the United States, across Africa and the Caribbean. The collection is curated by Dr Kenneth Montague and Elliott Ramsey, while the eponymous book (2021) from the exhibit consists of 184 pages mapping the various photographs.

The first two rooms take you through the lens of community, from the villages to the cityscape in the motherlands to the diasporic Western world. Black beauty is shown through elements of club rooms, choreography, pageants, and the young and the old – including how fashion changes for different ages.

The third room maps Identity, depicted to the backdrop of a deep green akin to nature and the connotations of roots.

The fourth and final room focuses on Power, from the heavy connotations of police brutality and protest to the power of simple acts such as rest and leisure for black bodies. Power also symbolises reclaiming power, which can be shown in non-gender conforming hairstyles, and taking non-traditional approaches to life.

The exhibition will run at Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, London from 5 November to 20 January 2024. If you’re able to visit the gallery between November – December, you’ll be able to see three exhibitions for the price of one – a culturally-rich day!

Images of cities comes from another exhibition in Saatchi, stepping into the future with modern beauty trends of office siren core, littered makeup and mirrored skyscrapers.