What do you find most inspiring about the art/world right now?
People are trying to move the conversation forward and really questioning what it means to have entry into spaces that feel exclusive - then realising that they can create their own. I have a love/hate relationship with the internet right now but I think it is such a powerful tool. I really love how it has enabled black artists and curators to create their own online galleries and connect with an audience who is genuinely interested in not only their work but also their wellbeing. It’s amazing to see these transform offline too.
How would you say London expresses itself?
DIY! People are just using what they have to make the things they want come into the world! It is extremely expensive to live in London right now but there are so many people doing incredibly inspiring things despite how difficult it feels to survive.
What do you want to convey to the rest of the world?
I’m not sure I want to convey any one thing. Like a lot of artists, I lean into my art for the things I can’t express in my everyday life. I felt very defined by my blackness when I was at art school which reflected in my work as since leaving it has become a lot more personal. As a black womxn I feel like the personal is especially political because so many of us grow up with so much shame around the self in general, primarily the self-serving parts. A lot of my work right now is about childhood and I think this is because certain things have happened to me in my life that I don’t understand. At the same time, it feels like they are the most crucial things. It’s like I’m trying to retrace the steps.
How do you determine success?
Success for me would mean being able be a full time working artist and being able to support my loved ones. I feel like I’ve had to sacrifice so much of the things that really matter in life for art and I feel a lot of guilt about that the older I get. I’d feel successful when I felt like I didn’t have to sacrifice so much.
