In an unassuming British South Asian living room, a lavish red and gold French-style sofa takes pride of place. But this is no ordinary piece of furniture – it was made in 1767 for Robert Clive, better known as Clive of India, the controversial British officer who played a key role in establishing British rule in India. The sofa’s surprising new context is part of a bold project called Perspective(s): Decolonising Welsh Museums and the Arts, which aims to re-examine Wales’s colonial past and the way it is represented in museums.
For the past 60 years, the sofa has been part of the collection at the National Museum Cardiff, displayed without any explanation of Clive’s contentious legacy in South Asia. But now, seven artists have been tasked with “decolonizing” Wales’s national museums and arts organizations, creating thought-provoking installations that challenge traditional narratives and center the experiences of those impacted by colonialism.
Reclaiming History in a British South Asian Living Room
Artist Nasia Sarwar-Skuse, who created the living room installation featuring Clive’s sofa at the St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff, sees the piece as an act of reclamation. “I think it’s joyful, really. I can’t help wondering what Clive would think,” she mused. The cozy space, filled with family photos and a well-worn tea trolley, represents the safe havens created by South Asian immigrants in Britain.
“The trolley was ubiquitous in South Asian living rooms,” Sarwar-Skuse explained. “Mums would roll in the samosas and chai. I wanted to create the safe space that we as immigrants had. I wanted it to feel cosy. But having the sofa there feels empowering, an act of reclamation. It is like turning the gaze on the coloniser.”
Confronting Colonial Legacies
Sarwar-Skuse’s second piece, a reproduction of Tīpū Sultān’s state tent seized by Clive’s son after the Battle of Seringapatam in 1799, greets visitors at the entrance to St Fagans Castle. Its prominent placement ensures that the legacy of British colonialism cannot be ignored.
Other artists involved in the project are tackling Wales’s colonial ties through a range of historical objects and industries. Lal Davies, working with the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, is exploring the imperial links of Wales’s copper industry, while Lucille Junkere at the National Wool Museum is examining the use of Welsh woollen cloth to clothe enslaved Africans on plantations in the Americas.
Sparking Necessary Conversations
The Perspective(s) project, supported by the Welsh government, is not just about creating provocative art installations. The seven artists are also acting as “critical ffrinds” to the museums, helping them grapple with the complexities of decolonization. Nia Williams, the director of experience, learning and engagement at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, acknowledged the emotional nature of the journey, calling the initiative “an innovative way of working that will bring about a much-needed step-change in how Amgueddfa Cymru reflects the diversity of our society.”
As the project unfolds throughout 2025, it promises to spark necessary conversations about Britain’s colonial past and the ongoing impact of imperialism. By centering the voices and experiences of those historically marginalized, Perspective(s) offers a powerful model for museums and cultural institutions grappling with their own legacies of colonialism and seeking to create a more inclusive, honest representation of history.
“I feel like we’ve entered a space which isn’t always made for us,” reflected artist Jasmine-Violet Sheckleford, who along with Hannan Jones and Sarwar-Skuse, perched on Clive’s sofa at the project’s launch. But through their groundbreaking work, these artists are boldly reclaiming that space, one object and installation at a time.
