Sonia Boyce: CARMEN at Battersea Arts Centre, London
Presented with support from Wandsworth Council’s London Borough of Culture initiative, Sonia Boyce DBE RA shares the UK premiere of Carmen (2025). This powerful two-channel film serves as a tribute to the trailblazing Guyanese British actress Carmen Munroe, celebrating her profound impact on British cultural life as an artist, activist, and founding member of the Talawa Theatre Company.
The project was initially conceived in (2022) as part of a landmark royal commission marking the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush. After amassing a wealth of material during a portrait session, Boyce expanded the work to fully trace Munroe’s legacy. The film highlights how Munroe reshaped perceptions of Caribbean migrants in the UK through West End plays like ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ and landmark television programmes including ‘Doctor Who: The Enemy of the World’ (1967 – 1968) and ‘Desmond’s’ (1989 – 1994).
Part portrait and part historical document, the installation interweaves history and personal anecdote. One screen lingers on Munroe watching a montage of her performances, while the second displays significant career milestones. By collaging these feeds, the work firmly centres Munroe’s own voice, ambition, and prowess.
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Battersea Arts Centre
Lavender Hill
London,
SW11 5TN
United Kingdom