Mission Gallery is a travelling art installation that focuses on platforming both emerging and established POC (people of colour) artists within local communities, taking pride in re-envisioning spaces and building relationships through collaboration.
Ain’t I Beautiful? art exhibition is curated by Mattie Loyce, San Francisco born and bred, and now the curator and founder of Mission Gallery.
Currently based in London, her short time in the UK has been utilised seeking pioneering young artists from diverse communities of London to create an art show which opens up discussion and challenges around what gives something the power of ‘beauty’.
“At this dynamic time in world history, we are faced with re-evaluating and re-defining how we identify in many ways,” she told us.
Exhibiting in an questionable gallery setting, previously a job centre turned pub, Mattie’s choice of location goes a step further in challenging our perceptions of accessibility to art.
First impressions upon entering the unconventional gallery space was the vast quantity of after work punters, banishing any notion of a typically exclusive guest list.
The artists, their work, and their guests’ presence invading their ‘space’ to hone in the question of inclusion, beauty, and diversity.
I was reminded of a powerful illustration by non-binary activist and interdisciplinary artist Jacob V Joyce quoting legendary graffiti prodigy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, challenging the lack of diversity in the art scene; “I was tried of white walls, white wine, and white people.”
This space certainly offers an alternative perspective to answer the questioned posed, and the contributing artists include:
- Bardha Krasniqi @bardakrasniqi_
- Dorcas Creates @dorcascreates
- Ewa Looks @ewa_look
- Jacob V. Joyce @jacobvjoyce
- Leyla Reynolds @leylareynolds
- Olivia Twist @yesoliviatwist
- Yuki Haze @yukihaze
The exhibition runs until January 7th 2017 at The Job Centre 120 Deptford High Street, SE8 4NS London.
More info at: www.missiongallery.org
Original flyer art by Olivia Twist