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拍品专文
‘Her warm and genuine interest and connection to other people’s stories, particularly those who come from marginalised backgrounds or immigrant origins; the astuteness of her questioning; her ability to clearly and creatively express herself; the gentleness of her presence; and, most especially, the brightness of her laughter – Khadija’s life, her talents and the work she left behind, should continue to be celebrated widely.’ – Anthony Luvera
Khadija Saye, (30.7.92 – 14.6.17) also known as Ya-Haddy Sisi Saye was a Gambian-British artist who died in the Grenfell Tower Fire on 14 June 2017, aged 24. Despite her young age she had already achieved recognition as a hugely talented artist. She was honoured to be the youngest exhibitor in the Diaspora Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2017, where her works were hanging alongside those of well established artists such as Isaac Julien and Yinka Shonibare. Ofers to exhibit and to buy her work were immediate. During 2016-17 Saye developed a series of 9 tintypes for the Diaspora Pavilion titled Dwelling: in this space we breathe exploring the ‘migration of traditional Gambian spiritual practices’. Saye was only able to exhibit six of these in the Pavilion and she agonised over which to choose. This series was part of an interrogation of her heritage and mixed faith background visible in her previous photographic work. Her parents were both from the Gambia; her mother, who died with her in the fire, was a Christian and her father, who survives her, is Muslim. She described her practice as a means to explore ‘the deep -rooted urge to find solace in a higher power.’ Saye’s medium for this work was wet plate collodian tintype which is a precarious, fragile method of printing. She said: ‘Taking inspiration from the development of portraiture in the 15th century, I wanted to investigate how a portrait could function as a way of announcing one’s piety, virtue, soul, and prosperity’. By working for the first time with volatile tintypes, a medium so easily affected by elements outside of the control of the artist, the theme of surrendering control to a higher power, was somehow exemplified within the materiality of the work. In 2017, in collaboration with master printer Matthew Rich, Jealous and The Studio of Nicola Green, Saye created a silkscreen print of Southiou, one of the tintypes, using a high- resolution raw scan. Khadija was excited by the process of making one of her tintypes into a silkscreen print, and was overjoyed when the edition was complete. It is an edition of 50, signed numbered and dated by the artist. We are delighted that the raw scans of the other 8 tintypes have been recovered and used to make a portfolio set of nine silkscreen prints, including the original signed silkscreen print of Southiou. The subsequent 8 prints have been made using the exact same methods and process. We are honoured to present the first of the fifty complete portfolio sets of the nine images originally made for the Diaspora Pavilion. -Nicola Green
The Khadija Saye IntoArts Programme
In memory of Khadija, and inspired by her life, The Khadija Saye IntoArts Programme at IntoUniversity is launching on Friday 5th October. The programme, founded by Nicola Green, brings together and introduces new arts-focused activities at IntoUniversity centres across the country. IntoUniversity serves disadvantaged young people across 27 local community learning centres, working with children from seven upwards, and opening young people’s minds to the power of education, providing ongoing academic support, mentoring and aspiration-raising activities. Khadija Saye was a young emerging black British artist with Gambian heritage who had already produced significant work, and showed extraordinary promise for the future. From the age of seven Khadija’s talent was nurtured by IntoUniversity, a national education charity. Khadija attended IntoUniversity’s Carnival Arts Programme where her instinctive creativity was ignited, nurtured and developed over successive summers. IntoUniversity also supported Khadija in her journey to the University for the Creative Arts where she studied Photography. Over more than 10 years Khadija received support with her learning and encouragement for her ambitions. Through IntoUniversity, Khadija was awarded an Arnold Foundation Scholarship for sixth form at Rugby School where she discovered her talent for photography. In disadvantaged communities across the UK there are many other young people who, like Khadija, could benefit from support in order to achieve their ambitions.
‘We exist in the marriage of physical and spiritual remembrance. It’s in these spaces in which we identify with our physical and imagine bodies. Using myself as the subject, I felt it necessary to physically explore how trauma is embodied in the black experience. Whilst exploring the notions of spirituality and rituals, the process of image making became a ritual in itself.’ – Khadija Saye
‘There was something utterly instinctive in these photographs, which were in part a working through of a trauma that she had recently suffered. In doing so she was making a new and enriching space for herself and her work.’ – Ingrid Swenson and Andrew Wilson
Khadija Saye, (30.7.92 – 14.6.17) also known as Ya-Haddy Sisi Saye was a Gambian-British artist who died in the Grenfell Tower Fire on 14 June 2017, aged 24. Despite her young age she had already achieved recognition as a hugely talented artist. She was honoured to be the youngest exhibitor in the Diaspora Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2017, where her works were hanging alongside those of well established artists such as Isaac Julien and Yinka Shonibare. Ofers to exhibit and to buy her work were immediate. During 2016-17 Saye developed a series of 9 tintypes for the Diaspora Pavilion titled Dwelling: in this space we breathe exploring the ‘migration of traditional Gambian spiritual practices’. Saye was only able to exhibit six of these in the Pavilion and she agonised over which to choose. This series was part of an interrogation of her heritage and mixed faith background visible in her previous photographic work. Her parents were both from the Gambia; her mother, who died with her in the fire, was a Christian and her father, who survives her, is Muslim. She described her practice as a means to explore ‘the deep -rooted urge to find solace in a higher power.’ Saye’s medium for this work was wet plate collodian tintype which is a precarious, fragile method of printing. She said: ‘Taking inspiration from the development of portraiture in the 15th century, I wanted to investigate how a portrait could function as a way of announcing one’s piety, virtue, soul, and prosperity’. By working for the first time with volatile tintypes, a medium so easily affected by elements outside of the control of the artist, the theme of surrendering control to a higher power, was somehow exemplified within the materiality of the work. In 2017, in collaboration with master printer Matthew Rich, Jealous and The Studio of Nicola Green, Saye created a silkscreen print of Southiou, one of the tintypes, using a high- resolution raw scan. Khadija was excited by the process of making one of her tintypes into a silkscreen print, and was overjoyed when the edition was complete. It is an edition of 50, signed numbered and dated by the artist. We are delighted that the raw scans of the other 8 tintypes have been recovered and used to make a portfolio set of nine silkscreen prints, including the original signed silkscreen print of Southiou. The subsequent 8 prints have been made using the exact same methods and process. We are honoured to present the first of the fifty complete portfolio sets of the nine images originally made for the Diaspora Pavilion. -Nicola Green
The Khadija Saye IntoArts Programme
In memory of Khadija, and inspired by her life, The Khadija Saye IntoArts Programme at IntoUniversity is launching on Friday 5th October. The programme, founded by Nicola Green, brings together and introduces new arts-focused activities at IntoUniversity centres across the country. IntoUniversity serves disadvantaged young people across 27 local community learning centres, working with children from seven upwards, and opening young people’s minds to the power of education, providing ongoing academic support, mentoring and aspiration-raising activities. Khadija Saye was a young emerging black British artist with Gambian heritage who had already produced significant work, and showed extraordinary promise for the future. From the age of seven Khadija’s talent was nurtured by IntoUniversity, a national education charity. Khadija attended IntoUniversity’s Carnival Arts Programme where her instinctive creativity was ignited, nurtured and developed over successive summers. IntoUniversity also supported Khadija in her journey to the University for the Creative Arts where she studied Photography. Over more than 10 years Khadija received support with her learning and encouragement for her ambitions. Through IntoUniversity, Khadija was awarded an Arnold Foundation Scholarship for sixth form at Rugby School where she discovered her talent for photography. In disadvantaged communities across the UK there are many other young people who, like Khadija, could benefit from support in order to achieve their ambitions.
‘We exist in the marriage of physical and spiritual remembrance. It’s in these spaces in which we identify with our physical and imagine bodies. Using myself as the subject, I felt it necessary to physically explore how trauma is embodied in the black experience. Whilst exploring the notions of spirituality and rituals, the process of image making became a ritual in itself.’ – Khadija Saye
‘There was something utterly instinctive in these photographs, which were in part a working through of a trauma that she had recently suffered. In doing so she was making a new and enriching space for herself and her work.’ – Ingrid Swenson and Andrew Wilson