TAM JOSEPH Beam Me Up, Sweet Lord 23 September – 29 October 2023
Felix & Spear, 71 St. Mary’s Road, London W5 5RG
felixandspear.com 1
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List of works:
Beam Me Up, Sweet Lord c. 1992, 244 × 168 cm, acrylic paint on handmade paper (page 2)
The Struggle 1986, 27 x 209 x 28 cm, sycamore stained with boiled linseed oil, boot polish and rope (page 3)
The Roly-poly Rain Cloud 2022, 127 × 81.5 cm, oil paint on canvas (page 4)
John Wayne 2016, 100 × 166 cm, acrylic and oil paint on canvas (page 5)
White House Killings 1992, 135 × 135 cm, acrylic paint on canvas (page 6)
Crows Mate For Life c. 2015, 206 × 86.5 cm, acrylic paint and cement on board (page 7)
J Edgar Hoover, The Murder of Fred Hampton 1997, 83.5 × 63.5 cm, tissue paper, iron filings and photograph (page 8)
I May Wear A Mask But I’m No Outlaw 1992, 120 × 120 cm, acrylic paint on canvas (page 9)
Mon Petit Micoux 1998, 50 × 77 × 56 cm, papier maché and bark (page 10)
Len Johnson, The Dark Side of the Moon 2022, 81 × 62 cm, oil paint on canvas (page 11)
Ring c. 1998, 50 x 53 cm, papier maché, iron filings and scrim (page 12)
Eye 1998, 56 cm diameter, papier maché, iron filings and plastic (page 13)
Laughing Legend With Stratocaster 2012–2019, 98 × 71.5 cm, oil paint on panel (page 14)
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Felix & Spear are pleased to present ’Beam Me Up, Sweet Lord’, an exhibition of paintings and sculptures by Tam Joseph, spanning a period of almost 40 years, from the mid-1980s to the present. “The earliest work in this exhibition is a sculpture titled ’The Struggle’ carved in 1986 and the latest is the painting ‘The Roly-poly Rain Cloud’ made in 2022. This exhibition represents my range of interests from paintings to sculpture. The portrait of ‘Len Johnson’ (b. 1902), a British Boxer of African Irish heritage, who was very badly treated by the British Boxing Board of Control, is the only work done under commission by The Guardian newspaper among the dozen or so works in this exhibition. I mention this work as I was appalled and angered by Len Johnson’s story and could read the sadness in his eyes, even from images of poor resolution which I found online. The works also span countries; ‘Beam Me Up, Sweet Lord’, ‘I May Wear a Mask but I’m No Outlaw’, the title of which comes from the ‘Lone Ranger’, 1960’s TV Western series, were conceived in the United Kingdom, whereas ‘Mon Petit Micoux’, ‘Ring’ and ‘Eye’ were conceived in Nimes, France, using papier mâché. The painting ‘John Wayne’ was inspired by the first movie I ever saw at the Carib Cinema in Dominica in 1953.” Tam Joseph, Sep 2023 About Tam Joseph b.1947 Roseau, Dominica Lives and works in London, England Dominica-born British painter, sculptor and graphic designer Tam Joseph emigrated from the Caribbean to London in 1955 at the age of eight. He studied at the Central School of Art and Design London (1967), followed by a short period at the Slade School of Fine Art before leaving to travel in Europe and the Far East. Joseph subsequently graduated in Typographic Design from the London College of Printing. While working for the magazine Africa Journal in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he travelled extensively in Africa, commenting: ‘I have never felt any tangible difference between me and the peoples of Africa south of the Sahara.’ In the 1970s, Joseph worked with the Keskidee Centre Collective North London, a hub for African and Afro-Caribbean politics and arts. Joseph’s practice often combines humour with serious political narratives to challenge contemporary realities and their inherent contradictions. Awareness, diaspora, identity, and World history remain recurrent themes. Selected exhibitions include Caribbean Art at the Crossroads, El Museo del Barrio, Studio Museum in Harlem and Queens Museum (2012), No Colour Bar: Black British Art in Action 1960-1990, Guildhall Art Gallery, London (2015-16), and Life Between Islands, Tate Britain (2021-22) and Art Gallery of Ontario (2023-24). Tam Joseph’s work is represented in many public collections including the Arts Council Collection, Tate and V&A. The book ‘Tam Joseph – I Know What I See’ provides an extensive survey of the artist’s work, published by Four Corners Books in 2023 and available from their website. Gallery address: Felix & Spear, 71 St. Mary’s Road, London W5 5RG Exhibition Opening Hours: Wed – Fri 11.00 – 18.00, Sat - Sun 12.00 – 15.00 www.felixandspear.com © 2023 Tam Joseph and Felix & Spear. All rights reserved. 16