#BFGCreativeFund — Remi Graves
#BGFCreativefund is a grant programme supporting Black women and non-binary UK based creatives to encourage the development of creative ideas by supporting the continuation of projects and concepts.
Remi Graves is a drummer and writer, born and raised in West London to Ghanain and Jamaican parents. She shared her work and inspiration with us and told us how the creative fund has supported her.
Can you tell us about your project?
I’m working on a video poem looking at my search for a queer Ghanaian archive. The working title is ‘(un)natural carnal knowledge’ — directly taken from section 104 of the Criminal Code of Ghana where they essentially state that ‘unnatural’ (i.e. gay) sex is illegal. I started off interested in unpicking the legislative way of constricting and constructing desire and sexuality around ideas of nature and naturalness….but now the poem has developed into a question about what I’m even looking for. Thinking about how much my own western upbringing dictates what I’m looking for in terms of a ‘queer Ghanaian archive’ and what I might be overlooking as well, who am I missing out in the present because of my obsession with a past I can never reach. In the same but different way, the homophobic law (left to us by the Brits) completely overlooks lesbians as well…so it’s a piece tying these different threads of thought together.
How has the grant-supported your work?
The most valuable thing the grant has allowed me is time. I’ve been able to slow down and really think about what I’m looking for in this idealised ‘archive’ and allowed me to question my notions of archive, which I can see are rooted in really western notions of proof, history, past and time as a linear fact. The breathing space afforded by the grant has allowed me to develop my idea beyond just talking about the difficulty of finding old images or stories of queerness in Ghana, and questioning instead how I might even recognise it- asking myself what I’m actually looking for, and why this idea of ‘historic’ representation is important when so much is happening presently for queer Ghanaians in the country.
What impact would you like your project to have on the community?
Interestingly I haven’t really thought of that. I think my work can be quite selfish sometimes, I’m making it first and foremost to understand my own thought processes and motivations. It would be an absolute bonus if people in the queer community, and the diaspora can relate to this endless search I’m on — and I’d love if it started a conversation with others also looking for queer history. I mean in a fantasy world if after seeing my work, someone reached out and was like, oh here’s a picture of my queer auntie and her girlfriend in Ghana in the 1940s — that would be amazing!
What inspired you? Who are your main sources of inspiration?
Well, this poem is part of a larger project. I’m in the early, early stages of writing a novel based on my grandma’s life, but infused with a queer plot just for my own enjoyment. So I’ve been searching for any signs of Ghanaian queerness and lesbianism really. I realised that the research is interesting as well and wanted to capture some of that sprawling feeling in a poem of its own. I was also inspired by seeing photos by Eric Gyamfi, a Ghanaian photographer capturing photos of queer people in Ghana today.
In general, my main sources of inspiration are just the daily goings-on of life, and artists who have a clear voice and language of their own; painters like Jenniffer Packer, writers like Victoria Adukwei Bulley or Aracelis Girmay, anything I connect to emotionally really.
If you could give advice to other black women, what would you tell them?
Gosh, I don’t think I’m in a position to give advice, but I would say don’t hold back from doing what you want. Our bodies are great at being honest, telling us when we’re happy, when we’re uncomfortable when we really want something. And we can often get in our own way; I would say listen to yourself and your body as much as possible, go for what you want, even if the world or people around you are trying to discourage you. Don’t give up and treat yourself kindly on the journey.
If you could go back 10 years and give yourself advice, what would it be?
Haha, let yourself be yourself. I think I knew myself quite well from a really young age, but because of many things- societal expectations, homophobia, gendered nonsense, I kept parts of myself hidden. I mean I wasn’t out 10 years ago, so yeah just breathe let yourself be — Oh and also go for what you want, I took some detours before taking writing and being a musician seriously — even though that’s always what I wanted to do. If I’d believed in myself a bit more, I could have started earlier!
“Listen to yourself and your body as much as possible, go for what you want, even if the world or people around you are trying to discourage you. Don’t give up and treat yourself kindly on the journey.”
What’s next, what are your plans for the future?
I’m tentatively working on a novel. I say tentatively because it’s quite daunting but also fun! So yeah I’m just planning it out, writing bits here and there. I’ve luckily had some more funding come through so I’ll be going to Ghana in the near future to do some more research for the book. I’m also really keen to explore and understand pre-colonial Ghanaian notions of gender, spirit and sexuality. If anyone’s got any leads — holler!
Insta: @shadebutter
Twitter: @remigraves
