Photographer Joy Gregory on her new project, decades in the making: ‘A lot of people I worked with on it have died’

Photographer Joy Gregory on her new project, decades in the making: ‘A lot of people I worked with on it have died’

Black British artist Joy Gregory is unveiling a major retrospective at London’s Whitechapel Gallery, titled Catching Flies With Honey, from October 8 to March 1. The exhibition showcases over 250 works, encapsulating a career that spans decades and explores themes from Victorian symbolism to contemporary beauty standards.

Gregory's work is known for its rich exploration of identity, cultural memory, and linguistic traditions. Her retrospective will feature series like The Blonde, which investigates Eurocentric beauty ideals, and Language of Flowers, inspired by the Victorian practice of using flowers to convey messages.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is a new piece that has been in the making since 2003. This work delves into research on endangered languages, a project Gregory has been developing with a single community for over 20 years. "A lot of people that I worked with on it have died," Gregory reflects, underscoring the project's significance in preserving cultural narratives.

How to engage

• Visit Joy Gregory's retrospective, Catching Flies With Honey, at the Whitechapel Gallery in London between October 8 and March 1 to experience a comprehensive collection of her works.
• Attend artist talks or workshops at the Whitechapel Gallery to gain deeper insights into Gregory's creative process and the themes she explores.
• Explore Gregory's past exhibitions and works through digital archives or art publications to understand her impact on Black British culture and the broader art community.
• Engage with local art communities to discuss and reflect on the themes of cultural memory and identity as presented in Gregory's work.