With support from Arts Council England, I am offering a paid exhibition and mentorship opportunity to 4 ambitious emerging artists from ethnically diverse backgrounds, who have connections to Dartford or surrounding areas. I want to use my experience of being a fulltime artist since 2019 to help galvanise the careers of artists, from ethnically diverse backgrounds, looking to develop their professional practice.
The exhibition is scheduled for September 2024 at The Mick Jagger Centre in Dartford. We will have monthly in person meetings to discuss plans for the exhibition as well as practical advice for sustaining an art practice beyond the project. The themes that the meetings will focus on are: presenting work in an exhibition, sustaining an art practice & finding opportunities and creating an online presence. The fee paid to each artist is £2000.
The artwork hung on gallery walls tells a narrative of a specific society - this is what I want to show the community with an exhibition by local artists at this time in modern society with a greater impetus placed upon visibility of Black Artists, who have too often been oppressed. The core ethos of the project is to shine a light on the creativity within Dartford from ethnically diverse local artists.
In 2022, I became an elected member of The Royal Society of British Artists and I was the winner of The UK New Artist of The Year Award. I was also an honouree on Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ list 2023 for Europe.
My work looks to rectify the historic lack of visibility of figures from ethnic minority backgrounds. Therefore, questioning preconceived notions regarding what it means to be quintessentially British, as well as the uncomfortable nuances that are associated with this, is imperative. I employ delicate mark making techniques with precise strokes of the everyday black ballpoint pen. Specialising in the use of a monochrome medium to celebrate Blackness, allows me to somewhat paradoxically, show that there is more to an individual than just the colour of their skin.
This exhibition & mentorship is only for artists from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Artists must also have some connection to Dartford or surrounding areas (i.e either living in or nearby or can show a connection in some other tangible way).
Please send your artist’s CV, 5 jpeg images of artworks and responses to the questions below to info@habibhajallie.com by the deadline for entries, 30th April 2024.
Please describe your art practice (within 500 words)
Why do you want to be a part of this project and what are your connections to Dartford? (500 words)
Can you commit to the exhibition and the in person meetings? (Meetings are scheduled for 20th May, 17th June, 8th July and 16th August 2024. The exhibition will be open throughout September 2024)
Selected artists will be notified via email by 7th May.