Nov 2022
A second series of the Pioneers of the Railways Exhibition has been unveiled at Filton Abbey Wood station, to coincide with Black History Month. Artist Valentina Huxley created four new portraits to join the expanding gallery at Filton Abbey Wood Station. Drawing on the popularity of the first series, Valentina sought contacts within the local GWR community to sit along noted National and International subjects. The art works are a dynamic splash, a well needed ‘attention grabber’ to bring these subjects to the forefront of our conversations about equalities in the railways. The latest subject are:
Kulvinder Bassi MBE -Stations and Accessibility Policy Manager at Department for Transport (DfT) (pictured above with artist Valentina Huxley). Bassi has lead the DfT’s award winning Positive Support Group for over 20 years and is the founder and former chair of the Civil Service Race Forum. An inspiring leader and champion of Community Rail, his passion is to support member’s career aspirations and raising wider cultural awareness.
Wayne Spence MBE – GWR Despatcher based at Bristol Temple Meads, Spence is a much-loved member of the team popular with the public for his upbeat character and huge knowledge of the networks. He is a talented artist, combining his drawing skills with his passion of historical figures and suits of armour.
Arsham Parsi – Parsi is an Iranian LGBTQ+ human rights activist and founder of the International Railroad for Queer Refugees which offers resettlement assistance and safe passage to those who have fled a country because of persecution for their sexual orientation or gender identification. It takes it’s name from the Underground Railroad movement which was a system used by abolitionists between 1800-1865 to help enslaved African Americans escape to free states.
Also unveiled during October was the portrait of Alexandra Sawdon a GWR Customer Host based in Swansea and a committee member of Aspect, GWR’s internal LGBTQ+ network which promotes and helps others to understand and accept the LGBTQ+ Community. Lexi is extremely passionate about promoting the life of Transgender members of staff to colleagues and act as a real-world example for these colleagues.
Copies of the portraits have also been seen in Great Minster House, London. A temporary exhibition was created for the Department for Transport’s Positive Support Group’s Afternoon Tea event which took place during Inclusion Week. Those attending received a copy of a commemorative booklet of the exhibition. Pioneers of the railways booklet ARTWORK_LR2 (2)
Paul Webster, Support and Development Manager at Community Rail Network said; “The addition of the poem and new portraits by Valentina showing more individuals from marginalized communities who have made a difference to the rail industry has really brightened up the station at Filton Abbey Wood and we are sure the inspiring messages on each portrait will raise awareness for passengers of the diversity and inclusion found within the industry. We are pleased to have been able to fund this scheme and are particularly proud to see Kulvinder Bassi MBE depicted in this gallery due to the significant impact he has made to developing the Community Rail movement.”
Alexandra Sawdon, GWR and portrait subject said, “It’s truly an honour to have such a wonderful portrait made of myself in such a fabulous and unique art style. The portrait itself stands for more than just a piece of art, but I hope as a beacon for all of the other marginalised members of the LGBTQ+ community that we are here to stay, and it’s okay to be who you are. Being part of this gallery, and to be captured amongst such amazing figures from across the railways of time is such an incredible experience and honour to be placed alongside them and to be immortalised in such spectacular artwork.”
With a potential touring exhibit of the works in 2023, we are also hoping to expand the station gallery and welcome suggestions for portrait subjects.
