From photography to design, curation to wordsmithery, Ronan McKenzie has become revered for her cross-discipline, fiercely innovative approach to creativity and expression. She’s worked alongside a plethora of the finest institutions in London, such as The Barbican, The V&A and Tate Modern, and respected musicians like Little Simz and Solange.
The polymath’s latest project comes in collaboration with Bernie Grant Arts Centre, the home of London’s Black-led creativity. The two-part guest curatorship, ‘What I Thought I Knew’, explores the theme of identity, bringing together eleven of Britain’s most exciting contemporary artists in a vast, sprawling and intimate collection of works, all made in the last eleven years. The exhibition is open now until Saturday, August 31st, with the second prong a smaller exhibit showcasing McKenzie’s own work, set to open 19th September.
We had the pleasure of connecting with the artist, discussing the exhibition’s origins, curation, and the deeper philosophy behind it.
Congratulations on your new exhibition, ‘What I Thought I Knew’. In a nutshell – what is it?
‘What I Thought I Knew’; a two-part guest curatorship at The Bernie Grant Art Centre that explores the theme of identity. The exhibition brings together pieces from eleven of the UK’s most exciting contemporary artists, with artworks made within the past eleven years. ‘What I Thought I Knew’ sees its creators reflect on familial archives and stories from ‘back home’, examining how these histories informed what was possible for the future.
How did the opportunity come about and what has been the journey to reach this point with the exhibition?
Bernie Grant Arts Centre reached out to me early last year after seeing the work that I had done with HOME, to invite me to collaborate in some way. The initial conversations were inspiring and freeing, and we connected over the exciting prospect of creating a new offering in North London which could complement the existing performing arts programme at the centre, by bringing in visual arts and artists to the beautiful space. I decided to take the opportunity to collaborate on two exhibitions, granted that BGAC would re-design the gallery walls and the cafe, so I was really excited when they were open to taking my design lead, and re-painting the gallery walls a rich brown, and renovating the cafe to cooler black and brown tones which complemented the incredible design of the building. I was then free to conceptualise and bring shows to the space which I felt would be important and enjoyable, and I’m grateful at how much creative freedom I have been given to play and explore.
What was the structure of the exhibition?
As the guest curatorship was to span 6 months, we decided on two 3-month exhibitions which I wanted to make sure would work in tandem; giving visitors and opportunity to be re-introduced to the centre in a new way, then carried through to the second show, which form the foundation of the new visual arts offering at BGAC for the coming years.
What does the exhibition explore and how did you go about curating it?
The exhibition brings together 11 artists, some of which I have worked with before, and some new, including artists of different generations and disciplines. As BGAC hadn’t previously shown artwork in this way, I’m so grateful for the trust that each contributing artist had in me to present their work in what is an unusual gallery-format. As usual within my curatorial practice, I invite artists that I’m inspired by, who’s work speaks to or compliments each other and helps to illustrate and add to the concept for the exhibition. The show explores stories of what has come before (historically) that has informed where we are now, and touches upon ideas of “back home”, immigration, family, memory and spirituality. I was interested in how some artist’s work spoke to these concepts and sometimes in abstraction from the contexts that they may usually be shown in, and how that evokes feeling from the viewer.
What else is to come for you this year and beyond?
The second exhibition which follows on from ‘What I Thought I Knew’ will open on 19th September, and present a smaller curation of artists, including myself, in a dreamscape of what I believe to be possible. Including new commissions and never-before shown artwork, alongside immersive pieces, it’s going to be a further exploration in to imagination. Definitely keep an eye out for that!
For more information on the exhibition, head here.