Photo © Alexis Chabala
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I imagined John Blanke as a "trump card". His status as one of the earliest, visualised records of a Black person resident in England in the 16th century, stands as a definitive challenge and counterpoint to those who are yet to accept that the black historical presence on these shores pre-dates the "Empire Windrush". As with a deck of cards, (symbolically denoting his place within the royal court of Henry VIII) John plays his hand impeccably. His purpose, as a trumpeter, sounding a clarion call to awake the historical, moral and social consciousness of this country, could not be clearer.
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| The John Blanke Project | 89 Jon Daniel |