Salon Series I: Are we having a Black British Renaissance?
This episode is in collaboration with Black British Art, an arts platform that focuses on championing, educating, curating and advising on all that is Black British Art.
Its founder Lisa Anderson-Diffang, a curator, consultant and Interim Managing Director of The Black Cultural Archives* chairs the discussion asking the question - ‘Are we having a Black British Art Renaissance?’
Our panellists were:
Bolanle Tajudeen - founder of Black Blossoms – an expanded curatorial platform showcasing contemporary Black women and non-binary artists since 2015. In 2020 Bolanle launched the Black Blossoms School of Art and Culture, an online learning platform decolonizing art education. Bernice Mulenga is a London based multidisciplinary artist, who prioritises the use of analog processes in their work. Mulenga’s work also explores recurring themes surrounding their identity, sexuality, grief, family, and Congolese culture. And Dr Kimathi Donkor, Kimathi is a contemporary artist. His work re-imagines mythic, legendary and everyday encounters across Africa and its global Diasporas, principally in painting. Dr Donkor earned his PhD at Chelsea College of Arts and he is currently Course Leader for the BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art: Painting at Camberwell College of Arts.
On the night we were served a bespoke menu consistent with the Black British Art theme prepared by The Future Plate, the chef was William Chilila.
The episode was produced and recorded by AiAi studios
*Lisa Anderson is now Managing Director of the Black Cultural Archives.
Panellists:
Bolanle Tajudeen; IG - @blackblossoms.online
Bernice Mulenga; IG - @burneece
Dr Kimathi Donkor; IG - @kimathi.donkor
Chair:
Lisa Anderson-Diffang: IG - @lisaandersonaa
Black British Art: IG - @blackbritishart
Food:
The Future Plate; IG: @the_futureplate
Chef William Chilila: IG -@william_chilila
All photos by Izzy Arionget
