To mark Cugoano's 250th anniversary, Trinidad-based artist Che Lovelace has been selected to create paintings to be installed in the entrance of the church. Seen by all visitors to St James’s it will be the first permanent art commission to commemorate Cugoano’s life anywhere in the world. 
Lovelace paints the intersecting lives of the people and natural beauty of Trinidad. Infused with rich colours and bold shapes, his paintings straddle the boundary between magical realism, abstraction and the beauty of the natural world.
Quobna Ottobah Cugoano described his personal experience of being trafficked at the age of 13 to work on a plantation in Grenada and bought by a merchant to England where he gained his freedom in 1772, in his book Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery published in 1787. His baptism, in 1773, was an act which promised his ongoing freedom; however he didn’t live long enough to see slavery abolished by the UK Parliament. With his exact dates of birth and death unknown, Cugoano’s baptism on 20 August 1773 at St James’s is the only place and date that is clearly and verifiably part of his story. 
Lovelace was selected by a process led by curator Ekow Eshun and involving members of the church’s congregation and clergy. The commission is supported by generous donations from international lawyer and philanthropist Dr Tai-Heng Cheng and his husband, gallerist Mr Cole Harrell, both American Friends of St James’s Piccadilly. The commission is part of St James’s cultural programme overseen by Creative Director Richard Parry, previously Director, Glasgow International. 
The commission is the cornerstone of St James’s programme of events commemorating Cugoano’s baptismal anniversary year, which includes:
Friday 22 September, 7-9pm – opening event and artist Che Lovelace ‘In Conversation’ with Rector of St James’s Lucy Winkett
Thursday 5 October, 7pm – Author Ben Okri will read from recent works and discuss the legacy and resonance of Cugoano today with writer and curator Ekow Eshun
Saturday 7 October, from 5.30pm – Visualising Britain’s Black Past an evening exploring the life, legacy and contemporary resonance of Ottobah Cugoano. Desireé Baptiste will perform her short play, Incidents in the Life of an Anglican Slave, inspired by a 1723 letter from an anonymous enslaved Virginian housed discovered in Lambeth Palace Library. Screening of Palimpsest: Tales Spun From Sea And Memories by Billy Gerard Frank artist-film maker and shown in the Grenada National Pavilion at 59th Venice Biennale. Followed by a panel discussion led by curator Ekow Eshun exploring the life, legacy and contemporary resonance of Ottobah Cugoano with the artists joined by Paterson Joseph, actor and author of The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho (2022).
Saturday 14 October, 7pm - Julianknxx presents a special performance with a choir songs which echo the notion of ‘flight’ in relation to Africa, coinciding with his exhibition Chorus in Rememory of Flight at Barbican

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Highly recommend the British Museum for at least one day tour. We arranged a tour of the British Museum on the last day of the 10-day UK tour. Found that we arranged three hours too little. Fortunately, we have participated in the teacher&#39;s explanation group, through the teacher&#39;s wonderful explanation, we know a lot of the history and origin of the previously blurred cultural relics. Let us have a vivid human history lesson at the British Museum. Seeing the long-awaited kiln, Tang Sancai, saw the exquisite memory of Chinese historical relics. Teacher Bilan also uploaded a few photos of the kiln after the team ended, so I kept a precious memory and beautiful photo in regret.

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After watching the Buckingham Palace changing ceremony, we arrived at Westminster Abbey. There were a lot of people in the queue, about an hour and a half before entering the church. There is a interpreter at the door, you can choose Chinese. Follow the team and the interpreter is also explained. My favorite is the Matisse-style painting window. The staff in the church is very high quality and the temperament is very good, which is awe-inspiring.

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The Queen&#39;s favorite palace is very luxurious, but it is not allowed to take pictures. It can only be taken outside. When entering, a photo was taken and was stopped by the staff. Knowing the life of the royal family, Windsor Castle is generally very quiet.

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