The South London Gallery (SLG) is hosting the first institutional solo exhibition of London-based artist Christina Kimeze, running from 31 January to 11 May 2025. Titled “Christina Kimeze,” the exhibition, according to a statement, will span the SLG’s Main Gallery and Fire Station galleries, showcasing a new body of work that delves into themes of identity, movement and belonging.
Kimeze, whose practice centres on painting, is known for her evocative depictions of lone female figures immersed in natural landscapes or abstracted interiors. Her works often feature friends, family and self-portraits, exploring what she describes as the “emotional space between two worlds” and the resulting sense of “otherness.” Drawing on personal memories, particularly of her father’s homeland, Uganda, Kimeze’s paintings are rich with vibrant foliage and warm hues, capturing the essence of the East African landscape. Her work is also deeply influenced by Black feminist writers of the 20th century, adding a literary dimension to her visual storytelling.
The exhibition marks a significant moment in Kimeze’s career, as it brings together a new series of paintings inspired by the resurgence of roller skating in Black communities across London and beyond. These works expand on ideas of movement, flight and freedom, evoking the physical sensation of the body in motion and the mental imagery it conjures. In the Fire Station galleries, visitors will encounter additional new paintings, works on paper and a specially commissioned tapestry created in collaboration with Edinburgh’s renowned Dovecot Studios.
Kimeze’s choice of materials is as distinctive as her subject matter. She employs dry chalks, oil pastels and wet paints on unconventional surfaces like suede matboard, paper and canvas, lending her works a unique luminosity and texture. This tactile quality invites viewers to engage not only with the visual narrative but also with the physicality of the art itself.
Accompanying the exhibition is a beautifully illustrated hardback catalogue, designed by A Practice for Everyday Life. The publication features essays by prominent curator and writer Ekow Eshun and Eleanor Nairne, the Keith L. and Katherine Sachs Curator for Modern and Contemporary Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It also includes a conversation between Kimeze and Alayo Akinkugbe, the art historian and founder of the Instagram platform @ABlackHistoryOfArt*l. The catalogue offers a comprehensive overview of Kimeze’s practice, highlighting her evolution as an artist and the significance of her new works.
Christina Kimeze’s rise in the art world has been meteoric. A graduate of the Royal Drawing School’s postgraduate programme, where she was awarded the Sir Denis Mahon Award, Kimeze has exhibited widely in recent years. Her work has been featured in group shows at institutions such as the Freud Museum, Dulwich Picture Gallery and Hauser & Wirth, as well as in international venues like White Cube in Paris and Palazzo Monti in Italy. This solo exhibition at the SLG cements her status as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary art today.
The South London Gallery, with its mission to bring art to the people of south London, is an ideal venue for Kimeze’s work. Founded in the 19th century by philanthropist William Rossiter, the SLG has grown into a cultural hub, encompassing its original site on Peckham Road, the Fire Station, and community-focused spaces like the Art Block. Known for its innovative programming, the gallery continues to champion emerging and mid-career artists, making it a fitting stage for Kimeze’s institutional debut.
The exhibition is supported by lead donor The Bukhman Foundation, with additional funding from Simon Nixon, The Foundation Foundation, and Hauser & Wirth. More information is available at http://southlondongallery.org.
- Featured image: Christina Kimeze, Soaring, 2024. Oil, pastel and oil stick on suede matboard. 210 x 165 cm © Christina Kimeze, image courtesy of the artist. Photo: Matthew Hollow
