(1952-2011)
Foyer of Leeds School of Arts, Portland Way, Leeds, England
Are we allowing this here? I don’t mean because the statue is blue, but because it was produced on a 3D printer. So far so futuristic.
It was local artist Sarah Roberts who flagged this piece up, as, ashamedly I was unaware of it despite being a stone throw away from it. I’m even more ashamed that on my first visit I went to the wrong art place (I rocked up at the Leeds Arts University instead of Leeds School of Arts, surely everyone has made this blunder…)
The city of Leeds has around 850,000 inhabitants but there are no women statues, and PhD Art Student and statue creator Lara Rose highlights there are no statues of black people in the city. Pretty stark.
Geraldine was an ethnomusicologist, theatre director, singer, composer and performer. Born in London but raised in Trinidad, her studies and work spanned both places. She taught music in the 70’s and 80’s as well as working as a backing singer for stars such as Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley and Tom Jones. She also sang on the original recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar.
Geraldine moved north in 1990 as a lecturer at the University of Leeds. During her time there she composed and directed her most famous work, Carnival Messiah, fusing European classical tradition of oratorio – like Handel’s Messiah – with musical inspiration from the African diaspora. Over three decades Geraldine created or directed a number of theatrical and musical productions, whilst finding time to complete her Doctorate at the University of Leeds. Geraldine’s artist Lara Rose captures her wearing her graduation robes.
The Geraldine Connor Foundation (GCF) was established in Leeds a year after her death to continue her work and vision.
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