Through his works, Chris Day explores his identity as a mixed-heritage man. Researching his ancestry has prompted him to expose the history of the transatlantic slave trade and its legacies through his art. He engages the audience by prompting reflection on difficult issues, hoping to overcome the traumas that haunt collective pasts. Day graduated from Wolverhampton University after 20 years working as a heating engineer, gaining skills as a plumber that continually inform his artistic practice. In his art he incorporates materials used in the heating industry, such as glass blown into his signature ‘copper cages’. Day feels that a piece’s uniqueness, its individuality, gives it a distinctiveness akin to the struggle to discover one’s own identity. The catalyst for this new commission was Day’s discovery of an 18th-century painting at the Walker Art Gallery, The Card Party (1698-1737), after Gawen Hamilton, in which a small black servant is hidden in the painting. Day sheds light on this child’s story and the experiences of others who have been silenced. Seeing themselves in the quasi-reflective glass of the work, viewers observe an image that is present, but not quite there, mirroring the essence of the boy. The glass pieces are encased in a series of wooden boxes made of recycled pallet wood. The transformation of the wood into artwork mirrors Day’s own journey from plumber to artist, serving as a reminder that, with dedication and opportunities, one has the power to redefine their respective paths and perceptions. Now you see me (2024) centres around the representation of a black boy, but Day hopes that the work will resonate with a wider audience, reflecting broader themes and narratives. Directly responding to its collection, the commission and acquisition of Now you see me (2024) fits well with the Walker Art Gallery’s aim to reach a more diverse audience and its commitment to decolonise the collections. Day’s work aligns with the Walker’s aims to reimagine how its displays are interpreted and collaborate with global ethnic-majority artists.
