Curatorial Projects
Proserpina: Henry Baker and Preslav Kostov
Apiary Studios, 24-28 March 2022
Proserpina was an exhibition that placed into conversation the paintings and practices of Henry Baker and Preslav Kostov, at Apiary Studios in London’s Bethnal Green.
Many of the the works, produced whilst Baker and Kostov were studying on the Painting MA programme at the Royal College of Art were presented for the first time. Viewers were invited to take in the rich dialogue between the two artists in an intimate setting.
Kostov and Baker adopted different, complementary palettes and approaches to representation and abstraction. Yet they shared a common concern with painting’s ability to speak directly and vigorously to its viewer, allowing for rich parallels to be drawn between their works. Their practice exposed their traces of production and figures with a remarkable frankness. The assertion of this openness was accompanied by further worlds, buried and protected within the layers of paint.
The psychological themes of chaos, destruction and rebirth exist under the confident exposure of these surfaces. Baker and Kostov’s works were here presented in a contemplative environment to allow for reflection on these themes. Visitors were encouraged to inhabit the space, taking the time they needed to draw connections between the works as they developed.
Viewers could wander, sit down and be led around the space by their intuition. Proserpina was intended to be a homely, comfortable environment that lended itself to vulnerability.
Apiary Studios, 24-28 March 2022
Proserpina was an exhibition that placed into conversation the paintings and practices of Henry Baker and Preslav Kostov, at Apiary Studios in London’s Bethnal Green.
Many of the the works, produced whilst Baker and Kostov were studying on the Painting MA programme at the Royal College of Art were presented for the first time. Viewers were invited to take in the rich dialogue between the two artists in an intimate setting.
Kostov and Baker adopted different, complementary palettes and approaches to representation and abstraction. Yet they shared a common concern with painting’s ability to speak directly and vigorously to its viewer, allowing for rich parallels to be drawn between their works. Their practice exposed their traces of production and figures with a remarkable frankness. The assertion of this openness was accompanied by further worlds, buried and protected within the layers of paint.
The psychological themes of chaos, destruction and rebirth exist under the confident exposure of these surfaces. Baker and Kostov’s works were here presented in a contemplative environment to allow for reflection on these themes. Visitors were encouraged to inhabit the space, taking the time they needed to draw connections between the works as they developed.
Viewers could wander, sit down and be led around the space by their intuition. Proserpina was intended to be a homely, comfortable environment that lended itself to vulnerability.
Future Film Festival 2022
British Film Institute, 2021-22
I was part of a team of 10 Young Programmers who previewed and helped programme the 50 short films by young filmmakers from across the world for the 2022 edition of the BFI’s Future Film Festival, the UK’s largest festival for young filmmakers.
During the festival, I also co-programmed the event ‘So You Want to Move into Film?’ which featured three creatives who had intitally started working in disciplines other than filmmaking talking about how they moved into the film industry and how their past creative discipline influenced their creative practice.
The panellists were:
I also hosted a report on Instagram Live during one of the days of the festival, presenting the programme of events and films that were taking place that day.
British Film Institute, 2021-22
I was part of a team of 10 Young Programmers who previewed and helped programme the 50 short films by young filmmakers from across the world for the 2022 edition of the BFI’s Future Film Festival, the UK’s largest festival for young filmmakers.
During the festival, I also co-programmed the event ‘So You Want to Move into Film?’ which featured three creatives who had intitally started working in disciplines other than filmmaking talking about how they moved into the film industry and how their past creative discipline influenced their creative practice.
The panellists were:
- Lauren Vevers, writer, theatre-maker and filmmaker
- Tasha Williams, graphic designer, production designer and producer
- Ng Choon Ping, theatre and film director
I also hosted a report on Instagram Live during one of the days of the festival, presenting the programme of events and films that were taking place that day.
For the Fans: Memes, Zines, Edits and Fanfic at London Film Festival
British Film Institute, 2021
For the Fans: Memes, Zines, Edits and Fanfic was a multi-strand event that took place on 10 October 2021 at BFI Southbank, London as part of the 2021 edition of the BFI London Film Festival.
As part of the event, three video works from artists and creatives working with and around fan cultures were commissioned and screened, a fanzine-making workshop was run and a panel discussion held, all with the aim of highlighting the breadth of fan culture and the depth of serious engagement that creators and audiences of fan content have with the characters and works they are responding to.
The commissioned artists and creators were:
The workshop was facilitated by Ioana Simion from zine-making collective Artizine UK.
The panel featured all the commissioned artists and creators alongside Megan W Mitchell, an independent cinema producer and researcher.
As part of a team of three, I was responsible for delivering the event, from initial idea and pitching to post-event marketing. This involved contacting guests, reviewing commissioned works, briefing panellists, devising a marketing strategy and ensuring all other aspects of production went smoothly. I also hosted the panel discussion.
British Film Institute, 2021
For the Fans: Memes, Zines, Edits and Fanfic was a multi-strand event that took place on 10 October 2021 at BFI Southbank, London as part of the 2021 edition of the BFI London Film Festival.
As part of the event, three video works from artists and creatives working with and around fan cultures were commissioned and screened, a fanzine-making workshop was run and a panel discussion held, all with the aim of highlighting the breadth of fan culture and the depth of serious engagement that creators and audiences of fan content have with the characters and works they are responding to.
The commissioned artists and creators were:
- Stella Parker, who made 'good 4 u'
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Hugo Hutchins, who made 'Shawn Mendes Touch my Hand'
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Niall Chaudhuri-Julyan, who made 'From Fan to Fanatic'
The workshop was facilitated by Ioana Simion from zine-making collective Artizine UK.
The panel featured all the commissioned artists and creators alongside Megan W Mitchell, an independent cinema producer and researcher.
As part of a team of three, I was responsible for delivering the event, from initial idea and pitching to post-event marketing. This involved contacting guests, reviewing commissioned works, briefing panellists, devising a marketing strategy and ensuring all other aspects of production went smoothly. I also hosted the panel discussion.
Community Camera: Filmmaking Collectives at London Film Festival
British Film Institute, 2021
Community Camera: Filmmaking Collectives was a panel discussion that took place on 17 October 2021 at BFI Southbank, London as part of the 2021 edition of the BFI London Film Festival.
The event explored collective filmmaking and the role it can play in supporting and platforming marginalised voices within the Film and TV industries, featuring panellists from a set of collectives from across the country who have been active over a range of periods. The discussion looked at the potential of collective practice as well as the practicalities of forming collectives and working as a group. The panellists also explored wider questions of representation of marginalised communities and the screen industries' role in platforming underrepresented voices.
The panellists were:
In producing this event as part of a curatorial team of three, I was responsible for taking the event from pitch to delivery, including finding, contacting and briefing guests, working on a marketing strategy and liaising with other departments of the festival team including the digital and finance teams. I also hosted the discussion.
British Film Institute, 2021
Community Camera: Filmmaking Collectives was a panel discussion that took place on 17 October 2021 at BFI Southbank, London as part of the 2021 edition of the BFI London Film Festival.
The event explored collective filmmaking and the role it can play in supporting and platforming marginalised voices within the Film and TV industries, featuring panellists from a set of collectives from across the country who have been active over a range of periods. The discussion looked at the potential of collective practice as well as the practicalities of forming collectives and working as a group. The panellists also explored wider questions of representation of marginalised communities and the screen industries' role in platforming underrepresented voices.
The panellists were:
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Bryan Dixon, Co-Director, Amber Film and Photography Collective, Newcastle
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Isra al-Kassi, Co-Founder T A P E Collective, London
- Trevor Mathison, Founding Member, Black Audio Film Collective and Dubmorphology
In producing this event as part of a curatorial team of three, I was responsible for taking the event from pitch to delivery, including finding, contacting and briefing guests, working on a marketing strategy and liaising with other departments of the festival team including the digital and finance teams. I also hosted the discussion.
