Luci Pina Assembly Edition Tote Bag

I'm Luci, an illustrator and image maker based in Leeds. My work is a visual, research based exploration of image, type and drawing underpinned by the idea of using arts based practice as a conduit for learning. 
My practice is driven by a need to engage with and celebrate black culture so it naturally taps into the political, and notes surrounding heritage - with a responsive, layered and intuitive approach to drawing and media.
 
I've been doing a research-based project about UK Reggae and Dub music for the past year and it's recently and naturally become a bit more focused on the culture in Leeds specifically, which meant learning a lot about Chapeltown and the rich musical culture there. I thought it'd be cool to explore this a bit further for the festival and I came across press articles from the riots that happened there in 1981 which made me think about how the histories of the town are often told through such a negative lens, often focused on unemployment, crime and violence. 
The tote bag design is loosely using the format of those articles and subverting the language in a way that celebrates instead the incredible musical roots and soundsystem culture of Chapeltown.
 
Last time I worked with Assembly I made a screenprint design that was just a general celebration of blackness, inspired by this amazing clip from the documentary "Black is...Black Ain't" (1994). The nice thing about working with Assembly is that both of the commissions I've worked on are really just extensions of my personal practice. And those are the best kind :)"