Natalie Chapman "All the Stories I Could Never Tell"

"All the Stories I Could Never Tell" is an exploration of growing up in social housing and navigating a system that often feels like it’s designed to hold you back. This body of work reflects my own lived experience at the margins, where the struggle to survive and the fight to grow are inseparable. It is not about poverty porn or exploitation, but about resilience, identity, and giving a voice to subjects that are too often overlooked.

In this exhibition, I aim to confront the silences that surround working-class lives and the systemic barriers that continue to shape the futures of young people from similar backgrounds. The work challenges the idea that the art world is reserved for a select few, highlighting the urgent need for inclusivity in a space that too often alienates those from marginalized communities.

As public funding for arts education is slashed, the divide grows starker making it harder for working-class artists to find a place, or even believe they deserve one. This exhibition exists to remind me and anyone who needs to hear it that they belong here too and that their stories and creativity are just as valid and valuable. I hope this work sparks conversation about class, opportunity, and how we can build a more supportive system that nurtures talent from all walks of life, not just those with the privilege to access it easily.

"All the Stories I Could Never Tell" is, above all, a testament to the power of resilience, the importance of representation, and the necessity of art as a space for challenging, questioning, and dreaming beyond the structures that try to contain us.