PROJECTSDeatils of the public arts projects i have lead
and collabrated on saint roots &
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Ancestors, protect me.
‘ANCESTORS, PROTECT ME’ DELVES INTO THE IMPACT 2020 HAD ON INDIVIDUALS LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY, particularly artists of colour.
talk 3:
talk with Artist sophie gresswell and guest speakers; Filmmakers joseph curran & dominic de vere and activist peggy king jorde.
Please be aware the discussion topics include death, burial and slavery. The trailer mentioned of documentary film 'A story of bones'
has been removed from this video for copyright reasons.
Please be aware the discussion topics include death, burial and slavery. The trailer mentioned of documentary film 'A story of bones'
has been removed from this video for copyright reasons.
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ARTIST TALK WITH GUESTS sideny belony AND hannah lavery, HOSTED BY SHEMIZA RASHID.
PLEASE BE AWARE THe DISCUSSION TOPICS include RACE and grief |
Artist talk with guests Moriam grillo and apphia campbell, hosted by shemiza rashid. PLEASE BE AWARE THe DISCUSSION TOPICS include race, therapy and wellbeing
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Early in 2020 a thought occurred to me, 'If I could find the masks of my ancestors, perhaps they would protect me'
this was my raw response to events in 2020. Covid-19, the tragic death of George Floyd and the subsequent focus on the Black Lives Matter movement, which collided with me becoming aware of a huge unmarked burial site of 'Liberated' Africans from the middle passage of the transatlantic slave trade on British Overseas Territory of St Helena, where my grandfather was born, making me also question my own heritage and history.
this was my raw response to events in 2020. Covid-19, the tragic death of George Floyd and the subsequent focus on the Black Lives Matter movement, which collided with me becoming aware of a huge unmarked burial site of 'Liberated' Africans from the middle passage of the transatlantic slave trade on British Overseas Territory of St Helena, where my grandfather was born, making me also question my own heritage and history.
THIS THOUGHT ACTed AS THE STIMULUS FOR A NEW PROJECT, ENTITLED ‘ANCESTORS, PROTECT ME’ WHICH DELVEd INTO THE IMPACT EVENTS IN 2020 HAD ON INDIVIDUALS LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY. IN DECEMBER 2020 THREE ONLINE PANEL DISCUSSIONS WERE HELD, WITH ARTISTS AND ACTIVISTS. THE RECORDINGS OF THE 3 PANEL DISCUSSIONS are ABOVE.
THE THOUGHTS GATHERED FROM DISCUSSIONS INFORMed AN ANIMATED ANTHOLOGY FOR 2020 WHICH Was SHOWN IN PUBLIC SPACES AROUND LUTON IN EARLY 2021 (Below). THE PROJECT IS SUPPORTED BY ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND, REVOLUTON ARTS AND LUTON CULTURE TRUST.
THE THOUGHTS GATHERED FROM DISCUSSIONS INFORMed AN ANIMATED ANTHOLOGY FOR 2020 WHICH Was SHOWN IN PUBLIC SPACES AROUND LUTON IN EARLY 2021 (Below). THE PROJECT IS SUPPORTED BY ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND, REVOLUTON ARTS AND LUTON CULTURE TRUST.
Ancestors anthology:
Images of the anthology on display in public spaces
'Ancestors protect me' Animated Anthology videos
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THe Mother monologues:
resisting austerity
The Mother monologues was a project produced by shemiza rashid to develop an interactive theatre piece Using true narratives of a group of women from Luton. The aim was to tell the untold stories from a community of strong, resourceful, ambitious women who are 'getting by', often with humour, and despite facing brutal austerity.
A THEATRE PIECE WAS DEVELOPED BY MOTHERS AND CARERS AROUND THEMES OF AUSTERITY, SISTERHOOD, AND SURVIVAL AND PERFORMED FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2020. I WORKED WITH SHEMIZA AND THE WOMEN INVOLVED TO DEVELOP ANIMATIONS FOR THE PERFORMANCE. MY AIM WAS TO DEVELOP VISUALS THAT EMPOWERED THEIR WORDS AND ADDED ANOTHER DIMENSION TO THE THEATRE PIECE.
A THEATRE PIECE WAS DEVELOPED BY MOTHERS AND CARERS AROUND THEMES OF AUSTERITY, SISTERHOOD, AND SURVIVAL AND PERFORMED FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2020. I WORKED WITH SHEMIZA AND THE WOMEN INVOLVED TO DEVELOP ANIMATIONS FOR THE PERFORMANCE. MY AIM WAS TO DEVELOP VISUALS THAT EMPOWERED THEIR WORDS AND ADDED ANOTHER DIMENSION TO THE THEATRE PIECE.
monologue extracts
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Where are you from?
a young woman explores her personal struggle to answer the inevitable question 'where are you from?' COMMISSIONed by bbc arts and arts council england as part of their new creatives program. The film was aired on bbc four on march 5th 2020 as part of a program on emerging female filmakers - I wrote, animated and narrated the piece. Directed and produced by lawrence essex,. D.O.P DANIEL TEMPEL MERZOUGUI, Music by Christian doyle. The piece was also featured on 'fringe of colour' at it's online art festival.
Watch below
Watch below
Lutopia
Lutopia was a project developed by Artist andy abbott as part of people power passion events celebrating the centenary of Luton peace day riots in 1919. Lutopia is a vr game developed with the people of luton to explore the towns future, and how concepts of universal income would change the town and how people live and work in the future. I was the associate artist COMMISSIONED to help in initial workshops with local people. I also developed a pop up interactive exhibition exploring lutonian stories across generations, connecting lutons past with the towns future.
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our fingerprints
I was Commissioned by central bedfordshire council to create artwork for projection in their newly built library space at The dunstable centre. the project focused on two different but intertwined animations for two SEPARATE spaces. The theme of 'our fingerprints' let us explore how individuals build COMMUNITIES and the impressions each person leaves during their time in a place.
The first animation links to the history of dunstable and it's communities past to present, the second animation was developed with four schools and looks at a sensory depiction of identity and place through the eyes of our next generation.
The first animation links to the history of dunstable and it's communities past to present, the second animation was developed with four schools and looks at a sensory depiction of identity and place through the eyes of our next generation.
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luton journeys
Luton journeys was a project run by the colour the town collective. As luton based artists we were exploring how individual journeys from the everyday, to the life changing, have SCULPTED the diverse identity of luton. during the project workshops took place with the alziemers society, british red cross, age concern, Luton irish forum and autism bedfordshire. Workshops informed four new public artworks across luton. the project was funded through arts council england, in partnership with london luton airport and the mall.
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Talking Portraits
Below is the first interactive portrait I have developed 'The Don' . it shows my grandfather and holds his voice. when you touch certain areas of the painting he speaks about his life, from growing up on the island of st helena to life in the navy and migrating to live in london, uk.
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In March 2018 I was 1 of 4 artists accepted onto a digital development programme in Colchester. Here I developed a spoken word workshop. I am now developing the concept of talking portraits.
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People and place project:
Luton
in early 2018 I delivered people and place workshops to schools and community groups in Luton. These workshops will explore Luton's unique identity through arts and technology, working to build civic pride and connections between local people and urban places.
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EYE FOR AN EYE
street art painting along seven sisters road in finsbury park, exploring how distorted perceptions affect society in an urban city. working with the support of Global street art
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PAINT THE TOWN
DURING 2017 I partnered with the university of bedfordshire as part of their testbeds programme. my project was to develop and deliver my paint the town project.
This focused on using visual arts to transform neglected urban spaces in luton..
This focused on using visual arts to transform neglected urban spaces in luton..
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WARDOWN HOUSE,
MUSEUM AND GALLERY HOARDINGS
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I was commissioned by Luton culture to create artwork along wardown house hoardings in order to engage local people with the museum whilst it was being refurbished. |
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ARTIST RESIDENCY
SHENZHEN: CHINA
In 2013 I was invited to carry out a project at Da Wang Cultural Highland, China. My project focused on the question:
How do traditional Chinese artistic values like beauty in order & tranquillity stand up
in a modern economic super power?
The residency culminated in an international exhibition,
where i exhibited two
paintings based on this question.
SUSTRANS PROJECTS
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I worked with the Charity Sustrans to deliver arts projects that engage the local community and encourage use of sustainable transport. These activities included temporary art along the National Cycle Network, working with schools to create a piece of public art and collaborating with a mural artist to increase use of a cycle route |
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