FORMAT22 Presents: New Exhibitions across QUAD Galleries 19 March - 3 July
FORMAT22 Presents includes six new exhibitions as part of FORMAT International Photography Festival’s off year programme. Established in 2004, FORMAT is the UK’s leading international contemporary festival of photography and related media. It organises a year-round programme of international commissions, open calls, residencies, conferences and collaborations in the UK and Internationally and welcomes over 200,000 visitors from all over the world to its biennale editions.
The Cultural Evolution: Identity, Performance and Fashion
Artists: Adji Dieye (Italy/Senegal), Bonolo Kavula (South Africa), Silvia Rosi (Togo/Italy), Stephen Tayo (Nigeria) & Lunga Ntila (South Africa). Curated by Azu Nwagbogu (Nigeria).
In the exhibition The Cultural Evolution: Identity, Performance and Fashion, the artists all push the limits of identity. For them, identity is a set of narratives that we tell ourselves about ourselves; not only do they introduce us to metaphysical notions about an evolving notion of identity, they expand or discard with linear forms of narrative. The artists exhibited demonstrate an awareness of the rapidly changing cultural landscape and the need to insert themselves across various aspects and genres of the rapidly transforming visual cultural scene. Each artist has produced a work that is as much about themselves as metaphorically possible in a self-reflexive sense. There is a new visual language forming and they are very literate in reading the visual cues and ideas produced by their works. This exhibition evolves from the utopic manifestations of Afro-Futurist imaginary into a more benevolent performative reflection on the major challenges of our age—the Anthropocene and the role artists play in mediating cultural narratives for those hidden narratives and others left behind. Curated by Azu Nwagbogu, Director Lagos Photo and African Artists’ Foundation. Silvia Rosi artworks originally commissioned by Jerwood Arts and Photoworks. The Cultural Evolution: Identity, Performance and Fashion, QUAD Gallery 19 March - 3 July 2022
Unpacking the Suitcase
In 1967 Prince Adewale Emmanuel Oyenuga enrolled as a student at the art school Escuala Massana in Barcelona. Three years later he and his wife Elizabeth decided to leave Barcelona for London. Prince Oyenuga left a suitcase with his archive with his close friend Luisa Guadayol and was never heard from again. In 2016 Luisa passed away and her daughter Ana Briongos is resolute in her quest to return the suitcase to Emmanuel Adewale Oyenuga and or his family in Nigeria.The material found in the suitcase points to different social and cultural moments in the history of Nigeria and beyond: the Nigerian Civil War, the cultural ties between two countries, Nigeria and Spain, the legacy of the artist, the story of emigration, Nigerian studio photography of the 1970s and first and foremost, to restitution. Presented with thanks to Azu Nwagbogu, Ana Briongos and Lagos Photo. Unpacking the Suitcase, QUAD Resource Area, 19 March - 3 July 2022.
AMP Voices
Disruption Collective Artists: Anthony Shintai, Sipho Eric Ndlovu, Jamaal O'Driscoll & Emily Labhart.
FORMAT's Collective in Residence, Disruption, present a culmination of research with local people in Derby and across the Midlands, tackling themes of toxic masculinity across genders, accountability, success, and identity. Their first multi-disciplinary exhibition explores the rawness and expressive nature of Breakin’ and spoken word, presented alongside unique photography & videography that captures the energy and spirit of street culture. Disruption Collective AMP Voices, QUAD Extra Gallery Spaces, 19 March - 3 July 2022.
East Meets West 22: Exhibition and Public Programme
Featuring Artists: Adam Bennett, Ania Juszczyk, Catriona Dunnett, Camille Relet, Cheryl Newman, Christian Jago, Clare Hewitt, Ed Sykes, Elena Kollatou & Leonidas Toumpanos, Leah Band, Mandy Williams, Nat Wilkins, Nieves Mingueza, Phil Hill, Phillipa Klaiber, Pippa Healy, Simona Ciocarlan, Sofia Yala, Susanne Hakuba, Wing Ka Ho-Jimmi & Zara Pears.
Over a six-month period, 22 UK-based emerging photographers have taken part in the East Meets West Masterclass programme organised by GRAIN Projects, FORMAT and QUAD together with 9 leading photography industry mentors. Through regularly sharing their work with each other, the individuals nurtured thematic and practice-based connections, becoming part of a valuable creative community. Working as a Collective, the photographers will share and expand these connections by exhibiting together and inviting audiences to participate in a public programme of talks and workshops. East Meets West 22: Exhibition and Public Programme, Unit 7 Royal Hotel Buildings, Victoria Street, Derby, DE1 1EQ, 10am – 4pm, 19 - 20 March 2022.
Kipya Ki?
Artists: Brook Getachew (Ethiopia), Canon Griffin (Uganda), Carol Kagezi (Uganda), Duncan Poulton (UK), Elise Wootten (UK), Felicity Hammond (UK), Lidiya Zelke (Ethiopia), Maria Ahmed (UK), Sherie Margaret Ngigi (Kenya) and Tom Faber (UK). Curators: Ibrahim Azab (UK) and Trevor Mukholi (Uganda)
FOTEA in collaboration with FORMAT present Kipya Ki?
Kipya Ki? is a Luganda phrase meaning ‘What’s New?’ This collaboration mixes cross-curating and digital collaboration to showcase photographers working on the emergent forms of the medium from across East Africa and the UK. Led by the teams at FORMAT and FOTEA emerging curators Ibrahim Azab (UK) and Trevor Mukholi (Uganda) will curate the work of 10 artists from across the UK and East Africa in a new immersive online multiplayer exhibition in New Art City. The selected artists represent some of the newest and exciting explorations of the photographic (and related media) scenes in their respective countries. Supported by the British Council Cultural Exchange programme, which funds cultural organisations, festivals, artists, and creatives between the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and the UK to create art, build networks, collaborate and develop markets and share artists’ work with audiences. Kipya Ki? QUAD Entrance, 9 April - 3 July 2022.
Here, There & Everywhere
Artists in Residence: Anthony Bila (South Africa), Sipho Gongxeka (South Africa) & Uzoma Orji (Nigeria).
In 2019, FORMAT led a pan-African open call in collaboration with Azu Nwagbogu and the African Artists Foundation to select three artists to take part in an online residency during the Covid 19 pandemic. In 2021 the artists presented exhibitions in QUAD and at FORMAT21 in New Art City and will be based in QUAD’s artist studio for a professional practice residency to focus on expanding networks. Here, There & Everywhere, Artists in Residence, in QUAD 28 March - 3 April 2022
Creative Wellbeing
Over several months participants from across the Creative Wellbeing programme at QUAD have worked with Photographer Jon Legge to learn digital photography skills and produce images exploring ideas around identity. In addition, participants from QUADs Creative ESOL, Safe Spaces, Mindful Crafts, Radbourne Unit and GoldsQUAD groups have created a unique set of projected artworks. Creative Wellbeing at QUAD is supported by The Garfield Weston Foundation, Derbyshire Mind and Derby City Council.
Creative Wellbeing 50 Sadler Gate, Derby DE1 3NQ, 18 March - 3 April 2022.
FORMAT22 Presents Exhibition Launch evening, Friday 18 March.
Join us to launch exhibitions as part of FORMAT22 Presents including a live photo booth by artist Stephen Tayo and live performance by Disruption, with a playlist inspired by the exhibitions and additions to the menu in the QUAD Café Bar. FREE Entry
5:30pm - 7:30pm: East Meets West: Unit 7 Royal Hotel Buildings 22, Derby, DE1 1E
6:30pm - 8.30pm: QUAD, Market Place, Derby, DE1 3AS
QUAD Gallery Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday: 12:00pm – 6:00pm
QUAD Extra Gallery Spaces, Resource Area and Entrance Opening Times
Monday - Sunday: 10:00am - 9:00pm
FORMAT is organised by QUAD in partnership with the University of Derby, with support from Arts Council England. http://www.formatfestival.com