EXHIBITIONS
I’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SHARING MY WORK IN A WIDE RANGE OF CONTEXTS.
HERE IS A SELECTION OF SOME OF THE EXHIBITIONS THAT HAVE STAYED WITH ME AS ESPECIALLY MEMORABLE AND INSPIRING.
ABSTACTING BLACKNESS
OMAKA GALLERY 24th- 26th OCTOBER 24
IN OCTOBER 2024, I HAD THE JOY OF EXHIBITING TWO OF MY PAINTINGS, FEELS LIKE FALLING AND ENGL-ISH ROSE, AS PART OF ABSTRACTING BLACKNESS, A POWERFUL GROUP EXHIBITION CURATED BY @ALEROART_.
THE SHOW BROUGHT TOGETHER TEN BLACK ARTISTS WHOSE WORKS SPANNED PAINTING, PHOTOGRAPHY, POETRY, AND DIGITAL ART, EACH EXPLORING NOSTALGIC AND CONTEMPORARY BLACK NARRATIVES THROUGH ABSTRACTION. TO STAND ALONGSIDE SUCH AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF CREATIVES WAS BOTH GROUNDING AND INSPIRING, AND IT WAS TRULY SPECIAL TO SHARE MY WORK IN THIS CONTEXT.
FOR ME, THIS EXHIBITION MARKED A MOMENT OF TRANSITION, MOVING FROM SMALLER COMMISSIONS INTO LARGER, MORE PERSONAL PIECES THAT DRAW ON THEMES AND IMAGERY I’VE BEEN BUILDING ON OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD OVER THE WEEKEND, ABOUT BLACKNESS, BELONGING, AND THE NUANCES OF THE BLACK BRITISH EXPERIENCE,WERE DEEPLY AFFIRMING AND MOTIVATING.
A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO ALERO FOR THE THOUGHTFUL CURATION, AND TO OMAKA GALLERY FOR CREATING A SPACE THAT ALLOWED THESE DIALOGUES TO UNFOLD. MOST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME THROUGH TO SUPPORT AND CONNECT! THIS SHOW WILL REMAIN A HIGHLIGHT IN MY JOURNEY.
GUAPMAG x ADIDAS: BHM
ADIDAS HQ LONDON 17th OCTOBER 2023
IN OCTOBER 2024, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF EXHIBITING MY PIECE “ENGL-ISH ROSE” AT THE ADIDAS LONDON BLACK HISTORY MONTH EXHIBITION, HOSTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GUAP MAGAZINE AND CURATED BY THE BRILLIANT ALERO ART. THE SHOW BROUGHT TOGETHER AN INSPIRING LINE-UP OF ARTISTS INCLUDING JUST DUSU, TIFFANNIE MERSADES, THERESA LOLA, KARIS BEAU, AND SHEEDA MELESSE.
EACH EXPLORING BLACKNESS AND BLACK-BRITISHNESS THROUGH THEIR OWN UNIQUE CREATIVE LENS.
THE AFTERNOON WAS ALIVE WITH DISCUSSION, READINGS, FILM, AND POWERFUL ARTWORKS, SPARKING MEANINGFUL EXCHANGES ABOUT IDENTITY AND THE WAYS OUR LIVED EXPERIENCES SHAPE OUR PRACTICES. IT WAS A DEEPLY REWARDING EXPERIENCE TO SHARE SPACE WITH SO MANY TALENTED CREATIVES, AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO A CELEBRATION OF BLACK ARTISTIC EXPRESSION IN SUCH A THOUGHTFUL AND UPLIFTING SETTING.
STAYING POWER
COPELAND GALLERY 15TH - 17TH SEPTEMBER 2023
IN SEPTEMBER 2023, I HAD THE JOY OF EXHIBITING MY WORK — INCLUDING SOME NEW PIECES — AT COPELAND GALLERY FOR STAYING POWER, PRESENTED BY THE PALACE OF THE DOGS AND DON’T TOUCH MY HERITAGE (DTMH) AS PART OF PECKHAM FESTIVAL.
THE WEEKEND-LONG EXHIBITION BROUGHT TOGETHER AN INCREDIBLE LINE-UP OF CREATIVES, FILLING THE GALLERY WITH NOT JUST VISUAL ART, BUT ALSO LIVE MUSIC, DANCE, AND FILM. AS WITH PECKHAM FESTIVAL ITSELF, STAYING POWER CARRIED A STRONG COMMUNITY FOCUS, CELEBRATING CREATIVITY IN ITS MANY FORMS WHILE OFFERING A SPACE FOR CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND COLLABORATION.
IT WAS A VIBRANT CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY, CULTURE, AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION, AND SUCH AN ENERGISING SPACE TO BE A PART OF. SHARING MY WORK IN THAT CONTEXT, ALONGSIDE SO MANY TALENTED ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS, MADE THE EXPERIENCE ESPECIALLY MEMORABLE.
PERMANENT TEMPORARY
BOTTLE FACTORY 24TH - 25TH SEPTEMBER 2022
IN SEPTEMBER 2022, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF EXHIBITING AT PERMANENT TEMPORARY, A TWO-DAY EVENT HELD AT THE BOTTLE FACTORY IN SOUTH LONDON AS PART OF THE LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL.
THE WEEKEND WAS A VIBRANT SHOWCASE OF SOUTH LONDON’S CREATIVE COMMUNITY, BRINGING TOGETHER HIGHLY TALENTED ARTISTS WORKING ACROSS A HUGE RANGE OF PRACTICES, FROM VISUAL ART AND DESIGN TO MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE. THE ATMOSPHERE WAS CHARGED WITH CREATIVITY, FULL OF INSPIRATION, COLLABORATION, AND FRESH IDEAS, MAKING IT AN INCREDIBLY ENERGISING AND INSPIRING EXPERIENCE TO BE PART OF.
IT WAS A REAL HONOUR TO SHARE THE SPACE WITH SO MANY BRILLIANT CREATIVES AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO A PROGRAMME THAT CELEBRATED THE BREADTH AND DIVERSITY OF THE LOCAL ARTS SCENE. SPECIAL THANKS TO SUMWEEKLY AND 948 COLLECTIVE FOR CURATING SUCH AN ENGAGING EVENT, AND TO MAKING NUMBERS FOR THEIR UNFORGETTABLE LIVE PERFORMANCE SETS.
ARCHIVE
ADVENT[US]
ST MARY'S WALTHAMSTOW 20th DECEMBER 2016
IN DECEMBER 2016, I HAD THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH GARY STEWART AND THE ST MARY’S ARTS COLLECTIVE AS PART OF THEIR ADVENT(US) SERIES OF PROJECTIONS AND INSTALLATIONS AT ST MARY’S CHURCH, WALTHAMSTOW.
FOR THE EVENT, A SELECTION OF MY BRIGHT, VIBRANT IMAGES — INSPIRED BY THE MUSIC OF STEVIE WONDER — WAS PROJECTED ONTO THE ANCIENT CHURCH WALLS, CELEBRATING THEMES OF COMPANIONSHIP, RESILIENCE, AND BELONGING. THE PROJECTIONS WERE ACCOMPANIED BY A VIDEO OF ME WRITING THE LYRICS TO THE SONG, CREATING A DYNAMIC INTERPLAY BETWEEN VISUAL ART AND MUSIC. THE PAINTING USED FOR THE INSTALLATION, FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE, CAN BE FOUND ON THE ARCHIVE PAGE.
IT WAS A DEEPLY REWARDING EXPERIENCE TO SEE MY WORK INTERACT WITH THE ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY OF SUCH A REMARKABLE SPACE, AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO A PROJECT THAT HIGHLIGHTED COMMUNITY IN AN AREA THAT HAS SHAPED ME SO MUCH!
ART IN MIND
THE BRICK LANE GALLERY 8TH -18TH DECEMBER 2016
IN DECEMBER 2016, I HAD THE EXCITEMENT OF SHOWING MY VERY FIRST EXHIBITION AT THE BRICK LANE GALLERY AS PART OF THEIR ART IN MIND SERIES.
A SELECTION OF MY PORTRAITS WAS ON DISPLAY FROM 8TH–18TH DECEMBER, MARKING AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN MY EARLY ARTISTIC JOURNEY. THE EXHIBITION OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY WORK WITH A WIDER AUDIENCE AND BEGIN ENGAGING WITH THE GALLERY COMMUNITY. IMAGES FROM THE EXHIBITION CAN BE FOUND BELOW, AND DETAILED VIEWS OF THE WORK ARE AVAILABLE ON THE ARCHIVE PAGE.
IT WAS A FORMATIVE AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE THAT CONTINUES TO INFORM MY PRACTICE AND PASSION FOR CONNECTING WITH VIEWERS THROUGH PORTRAITURE.
