Delaine Le Bas’s latest installation, ‘Un-Fair-Ground’, currently showcased at The Whitworth in Manchester, invites visitors into a vibrant, multifaceted world that challenges societal norms and explores themes of belonging and exclusion. Drawing inspiration from her Romany heritage and her previous work, this exhibition transforms familiar spaces into realms of connection, provoking both introspection and dialogue on art, identity, and land ownership.
A Bold Entrance
As one steps into the exhibition, the word “No” boldly greets visitors, splashed across the gallery floor in vibrant red. It’s a startling introduction, one that could easily be misconstrued as unwelcoming. Yet, Delaine Le Bas reframes this sentiment. “It is ‘no’ as an affirmation,” she explains. “It is like, ‘No, then, we mustn’t let them steal our joy.’” This declaration serves not as a barrier but as a protective boundary, enveloping viewers in a cocoon of soft fabrics and folklore. It sets the tone for what lies ahead: a warm invitation to grapple with challenging questions about identity and heritage.
Reimagining Heritage
Central to ‘Un-Fair-Ground’ is the artist’s keen awareness of how protective structures can paradoxically serve to exclude. Le Bas, a Turner Prize nominee in 2024, takes 20 pieces from The Whitworth’s vast collection, weaving them into her narrative to reclaim and celebrate her heritage. The installation is a powerful assertion that art can be both welcoming and interrogative, creating a space that feels both intimate and expansive.
One of the standout features of the exhibition is ‘Witch House’, an installation that builds on Le Bas’s earlier work, ‘Witch Hunt’. Visitors traverse a painted cobbled pathway into a home-like environment where hand-sewn Serbian shoes are the focal point. Dappled light filters through a calico roof, creating an inviting atmosphere. Here, a vibrant wallpaper—crafted by Le Bas—advises viewers to “Meet your neighbours”. This wallpaper is not merely decorative; it is a collage of personal history, featuring childhood photographs of Le Bas, cutouts of dolls, union flags, and even political commentary on the Human Rights Act. The result is a tapestry that connects past and present while interrogating the socio-political landscape affecting Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities.
A Kaleidoscope of Narratives
The exhibition’s exploration of identity continues in ‘L’Archipel en Feu’, a triptych that hand-stitches together themes of nature, bodies, and the animal kingdom. Vivid imagery—a rabbit among cellophane flowers or a shadowy woman casting the moon—unfolds in a riot of colour and symbolism. Meanwhile, the video installation ‘Delainia: 17071965 Unfolding’ uses projection to merge figures with vibrant textiles, creating a rich, dynamic experience that captures the fragmented nature of human narratives.
Yet, in stark contrast, the final gallery presents a muted atmosphere. Draped in a calming magnolia calico, this space features works from artists such as Brazilian sculptor Ana Maria Pacheco and the late Damian Le Bas. The ethereal quality of the fabric walls imbues the artworks with a sense of temporality, suggesting that the joy and vibrancy of earlier pieces have given way to a more reflective mood. Here, the darker themes of existence are palpable, as sinister figures emerge from the fabric, inviting contemplation on the complexities of identity and belonging.
An Invitation to Connect
The exhibition takes its name from Le Bas’s mural ‘Un-Fair-Ground’, originally displayed at Glastonbury Festival in 2024. This mural draws on fairground aesthetics—clowns, bold colours, and fantastical elements—but twists them into a narrative that speaks to deeper connections rather than superficial enjoyment. The installation becomes a space for dialogue, a realm where one can explore the nuances of joy, identity, and the often-unfair structures that govern our lives.
As visitors exit through this kaleidoscopic experience, they are left with a sense of having traversed a landscape rich in personal and collective histories, one that blurs the lines between joy and sorrow, connection and exclusion.
Why it Matters
Delaine Le Bas’s ‘Un-Fair-Ground’ stands as a poignant reminder of the power of art to challenge societal norms and provoke critical conversations about identity, heritage, and belonging. In a world increasingly characterised by division, this exhibition fosters a sense of community and understanding, inviting viewers to reflect on their own narratives while celebrating the diverse tapestry of human experience. As such, it not only enriches the cultural landscape of Manchester but also resonates on a global scale, urging us to reconsider our connections to one another and the spaces we inhabit.
