Painting Our Past

Tailcoat, cravat… artists celebrate stories of notable black Britons
New English Heritage exhibition focuses on figures who were left in the margins of the past
The six artists in the Painting Our Past project, from left: Chloe Cox, Clifton Powell, Hannah Uzor, Elena Njoabuzia Onwochei-Garcia, Glory Samjolly and Mikéla Henry-Lowe. Photograph: Christopher Ison/English Heritage
​New portrait of Dido Belle unveiled at Kenwood House
A new portrait of former Kenwood resident Dido Elizabeth Belle goes on show this week as English Heritage spotlights African figures connected with its properties.
Jamaican artist Mikéla Henry-Lowe was commissioned to paint Dido, who was born to Maria Belle, an African slave in the West Indies, and Sir John Lindsay, a British naval officer stationed there.

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RISE ART PRIZE: 10 ARTISTS TO WATCH
​With the Rise Art Prize fast approaching we've got the lowdown on the artists to watch
​Before they become as renowned as Degas and Warhol and you have to sell your house to buy one of their works, see the top 10 artists from the Rise Art Prize to keep an eye on…  
The Rise Art Prize is launching a new £10,000 prize for new and emerging contemporary artists. Not only will this allow them to keep creating works, but also to show in a public exhibition in Central London, helping them on the path to turning their love of art into a fully-fledged profession. You don’t just have to be brand new to the industry, you can also be seen as a regular for the chance to win this career-changing prize.

Exciting young British artists to look out for in 2017

The 10 names definitely worth keeping your eye on this year
A new wave of young, British artists are tackling everything from technology to politics, gender to the urban landscape. With the rise of Instagram, you often won't even need to go to a gallery to see their work. Here are the ones to watch.

Henry-Lowe uses her work to bring attention to more positive, celebratory images of black women, as opposed to how they are often depicted in Western media. She says she breaks down the images into fragments to show they are more than the negative narrative they are often portrayed as.
THE ARTIST'S MAGAZINE - THE ARTIST'S LIFE COLUMN
Celebrating Beauty and Color: Mikela Henry-Lowe shares her process and her passion for color...​
Picture

​THE ARTIST’S MAGAZINE (TAM):
Tell us about your education.

MIKELA HENRY-LOWE (MHL):
​ I learned to paint from my classes at high school. I was taught color theory, which colors work well with other colors and why, and I always keep this in mind when working on my own projects. Most artists have to learn about the different “isms” of the art world, and being exposed to Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism and Cubism has molded the way I approach color in my acrylic paintings...

Black Blossoms Exhibition

​SON Covers ‘Black Blossoms Exhibition Private View 2016’

Black Blossoms highlights the voices of Black Women by hosting regular events in which Black Women are at the centre of the conversation. It also aims to provide safe spaces for women in academia.
Shades of Noir attended the  Black Blossoms Exhibition 2016 Private View on the 14th of July from 6pm-9pm. This exhibition celebrated and highlighted the voices of black women, a group which is often invisible, silenced and oppressed in society. Through film, photography illustration and sound art recent UAL graduates and alumni have explored the intersections of gender, race, and identity. This exhibition challenges and deconstructs stereotypes in order to re-establish an authentic and inclusive narrative of Black Womanhood...To edit, click on the text to start adding your own words.
​Check out 18 pieces of art work from UAL students which celebrates and highlights the voices of Black Women.

Unmasked Women Exhibition

​These Are The Young Black Women Making Art About Mental Health

​It’s OK not to be OK. This is the mantra behind “Unmasked Women,” an art exhibition exploring the current state of black mental health for young women in the United Kingdom. Nicole Krystal Crentsil, a 24-year-old assistant project manager from north London, was inspired to put together the show, frustrated by the lack of resources available to young women when they need it most...

In ‘Unmasked Women,’ Black British Female Artists Shine Bright

This stunning art exhibit explores the Black British female experience

Being a Black woman can be hard. Despite our ability to thrive in spite of the challenges we face, sometimes being expected to be strong, powerful, and independent takes its toll on our mental and physical health. Still, as Mother Maya said, we rise...
UNMASKED WOMEN EXHIBITION EXPLORES BLACK BRITISH FEMALE EXPERIENCE WITH A FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH
The exhibition will feature the work of black female artists and proceeds will go to supporting their development

​Unmasked Women will take place at The Artworks Elephant and hopes to start a conversation around mental health in the black British community, and will feature a number of black female artists as part of the exhibition.