ONCA hosted socially engaged residencies for artists who want to research and develop work in response to environmental and social challenges.
About the Programme
The 2024 ONCA Associate Artist Programme supported four socially-engaged artists to research, develop and exhibit artwork at ONCA. The paid residency was an opportunity for the artists to further research, develop and exhibit existing work in response to the selected themes of: biodiversity, Pride, Black History and Lost & Endangered Species. We invited artists to approach the residency in a way that worked for them and worked with them all to curate a vibrant exhibition and public programme. These exhibitions were curated by ONCA Head of Programme, Susuana Amoah and supported by Communications Manager Maddy Kelly and volunteers. You can read about the experiences of the artists below.
We would like to thank Lankelly Chase for supporting this project.
Syl Ojalla
Syl Ojalla’s exhibition A Sparrow Whispered In My Ear was a gentle call to human audiences to remember their place within the delicate balance of biodiversity. Through a series of photographs exploring the intricacies of nature capturing the essence of living things such as trees, fauna and flora the exhibition aimed to inspire stewardship of the natural environment.
“The programme fostered a supportive and intellectually enriching environment, allowing me to refine my ideas while educating myself and others about the critical importance of biodiversity. Working alongside ONCA’s dedicated team facilitated meaningful collaborations and the exchange of ideas, broadening my perspective on the intersection of art and environmental advocacy. The guidance I received from Maddy and Susuana in communicating the message of my work—both visually and contextually—was particularly transformative.” – Syl Ojalla
Lucy Le Brocq
For Pride 2024, Lucy Le Brocq presented Unfolding, an evolving project uncovering multifaceted, complex and diverse stories from across the LGBTQ+ community. This visually intimate photography exhibition explored queer identity in conversation with its subjects.
“The programme gave me the opportunity to get closer to the people in my community, creating bonds and connections within other projects. My project was exposed to a diverse audience from which I received positive feedback with people either feeling seen or learning something new about the LGBTQ+ community. Hopefully these stories that I documented will carry on inspiring others and create awareness around intersectional LGBTQ+ lives. The programme also opened up new opportunities like being invited to speak at an inspiring event and to exhibit at Cluster Art Fair.” – Lucy Le Brocq
Nalo Solo
Black In Real Life was an exhibition by Nalo Solo, celebrating the local Black community through portraiture and interviews. Part of a longer-term project, the aim is to spotlight the inclusive and socially-conscious community found here in Brighton and its surrounding areas, as a vital force making Black history in real time.
“Being an associate artist for ONCA was a wonderful opportunity for me to have my first solo show after many years of being unable to create due to ill health. It helped me get back to a place where I recognise myself in my work. The association with ONCA gave me an opportunity to share and evolve my artistic voice. I saw my technique develop a huge amount during my association with ONCA, having the resources, time and reason to paint every day allowed me to critically analyse my work in real time having such intense focus on only what I was creating. I feel far more confident in my abilities now. I feel hopeful about my continued growth. I feel heard that so many people responded so positively not just to the artworks themselves but the concept behind them.” – Nalo Solo
Tokini Fubara
ibi minji faari was an exhibition created by Tokini Fubara in celebration of Remembrance Day for Lost Species (RDLS). ibi minji faari builds on Tokini’s previous works on race, space, and borders, turning to the creeks surrounding their place of origin in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Using time-based work, this exhibition deployed a poetics of landscape in search of good waters.
“Given the limited resources and time for the residency, I am appreciative of the trust ONCA had in me to complete this new work. When it came time for the exhibition, Susuana Amoah, the Head of Programmes shared her vision on how to show the work in its best light. The process of co-curation pushed me beyond my boundaries as an academic who has been trained with a specific view of galleries as “neutral/blank spaces”. The transformation of the gallery moved my screen-based work from flat 2D moving images to a 3D environment that encouraged guest to immerse themselves into the complicated worlds shown in the work.” – Tokini Fubara
Image credit: Tokini Fubara