Birmingham Museums to Open New Exhibition Highlighting Disabled Experience
Birmingham, UK- Birmingham Museums is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibition, Watch Us Lead, on Thursday 5 June 2025 at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. The exhibition, created by multi-disciplinary artist Christopher Samuel, explores the often-missing stories of the disabled experience in the city of Birmingham.
Through nine newly recorded interviews, Watch Us Lead highlights the experiences of disabled people of colour in Birmingham. The exhibition combines these personal stories with stained glass and drawings by Christopher that investigate themes of stigma, belonging, and agency. These works reflect significant moments in the lives of the individuals featured.
Christopher Samuel is a multi-disciplinary artist whose practice is rooted in identity and disability politics. His work often reflects his own lived experience as a Black disabled man, shedding light on the often-unseen experiences of his day-to-day life and those of others in similar circumstances. His practice includes small, detailed ink drawings, film, print, audio, research, and large installations.
This exhibition aims to spark conversations around the ongoing issues of under-representation, autonomy, and the real disabled experience. It was made possible by University of the Arts London’s (UAL) three-year 20/20 programme, led by UAL Decolonising Arts Institute. The programme is funded by Freelands Foundation, Arts Council England, and UAL.
As part of the 20/20 programme, Christopher Samuel undertook a 15-month paid residency with Birmingham Museums during 2023 and 2024, leading to the production of this artwork for the city’s permanent collection.
Speaking about the exhibition, Christopher said, “The realization of how important making this body of work is was highlighted for me through the barriers I encountered to deliver this work – showing that the system has not historically been set up to preserve stories or voices like mine.”
He added, “The 20/20 residency programme has been profoundly transformative. Everybody at Birmingham Museums Trust has been massively supportive and fully engaged with my aims and the drive for change.”
Sara Wajid, co-chief executive of Birmingham Museums Trust, said, “It was an honor for us to host Christopher’s residency at Birmingham Museums and to be selected to be part of the national 20/20 project to address racial inequality in our artistic heritage and collections.”
She added, “Christopher’s work is exquisite, playful, provocative and joyous and I am delighted to see the opening of his new exhibition as part of our ongoing commitment to social justice and artistic excellence.”
Professor susan pui san lok, director of University of Arts London’s Decolonising Arts Institute, said, “It has been a pleasure and privilege to work with Christopher and Birmingham Museums colleagues and to support their inspiring artistic and collection practices.”
She added, “We are immensely proud that the 20/20 residencies have led to 20 permanent acquisitions across the UK, contributing to the ongoing work of catalysing change in collections.”
Watch Us Lead will be on display in the Contemporary Voices space at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery from Thursday 5 June. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and admission is free.
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