Facing up to a dark past

Less than a decade ago the slave trade was Britain's hidden history. Yet our cities were largely built on the wealth it created. This year marks the 200th anniversary of Parliament's abolition of slavery and though long overdue, this once hidden past is at last getting attention through a series of commemorative exhibitions.

The V&A's Uncomfortable Truths examines the legacy of slavery on contemporary art and design. It's not a focused exhibition as such: new and recent works by 11 black artists from around the globe are located around different sites in the museum, creating a trail of contemporary works among the historical exhibits. And if you're not particularly good at following maps, you might find this a little frustrating.

Julien Sinzogan's decorative mural Gates Of Return greets visitors near the V&A's main entrance. Presenting a tranquil vision of returning slave ships, the image belies the reality of people whose freedom to return was brutally denied. Elsewhere, Yinka Shonibare depicts a headless sculpture of Sir Foster Cunliffe, a prominent slave trader. Dressed in a flamboyant suit made of a trademark Shonibare African print, it's a fitting reminder of how the power and wealth of industrial England really came about.

But by far the most powerful work is one that might go completely unnoticed, and not only because you have to follow an intricate trail but because you might mistake it as part of the V&A's permanent historical collection. Keith Piper's Lost Vitrines uses contemporaneous prints of slave images to create disturbing 'instruction manuals'. One vitrine contains 'A gentleman's guide to the restraint of negroes', while the second triumphantly shows how a slave rebellion might be staged.

Two artists in this exhibition - El Anatsui and Romuald Hazoumè - will also be showing work in From Courage To Freedom, a mixed-media display at the October Gallery (24 Old Gloucester Street WC1. Tel: 020 7242 7367. Tube: Russell Square/ Holborn) from tomorrow until April 28.

Meanwhile, Slave Britain: The 21st Century Trade In Human Lives reminds us that slavery and human trafficking are not just in this country's past. Portraits by Karen Robinson depict women trafficked into prostitution, while David Rose's photographs of suburban streets, city centres and fields show the ordinary locations in which people still work in slave-like conditions. These images will be displayed on cagelike structures in the splendour of St Paul's Cathedral (EC4. Tel: 020 7246 8350. Tube: St Paul's) until March 29.

Until Jun 17, V&A, Cromwell Road SW7, daily 10am to 5.45pm (Fri to 10pm), free. Tel: 020 7942 2000. Tube: South Kensington

Uncomfortable Truths: The Shadow Of Slave Trading On Contemporary Art And Design
Victoria & Albert Museum
Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL