Portrait of Laceta Reid
b. 20 May 1931, Jamaica | Came to Britain 1957 | Oil, duct tape and crystal tape on four cork panels
Laceta followed his brother to Britain, boarding the cargo ship SS Montserrat in 1957. He met and married Sheila in 1959 but struggled to find secure employment in London, so followed the advice from a friend to move to Wales – to Llanwern near Newport, which instantly felt like home. Here he settled with his family, working for Crompton Batteries, taking part in national dominoes competitions, and tending his vegetable allotment.
Artist Serge Attukwei Clottey’s reflection
I wanted to bring to life [Laceta’s] own words, where he says that he ‘makes here his home’, so I blended the attire with the background to represent his adapting to where he is … I divided the piece into four panels, which represent the four cardinal directions, and even if you take part of it away, you still have Mr Laceta. This highlights migration, displacement, joining and connecting and bringing people together, and speaks to the power of identity.