Christina Kimeze is set to captivate London’s art scene with her first institutional solo exhibition, opening at the South London Gallery (SLG) in January 2025. This highly anticipated showcase promises to be a profound exploration of identity, movement and emotional landscapes.
Kimeze’s distinctive artistic approach centres on evocative paintings that capture intimate moments of lone female figures, masterfully positioned within rich, abstracted environments. Drawing from personal experiences and memories, particularly her connections to her father’s homeland of Uganda, the artist creates deeply introspective works that challenge traditional narrative representations.
The exhibition, running from 31 January to 11 May 2025, according to a statement, will feature a compelling new body of work that originated from an unexpected inspiration: the resurgent popularity of roller skating in Black communities. These paintings transcend mere physical movement, delving into broader conceptual territories of flight, freedom and bodily expression.
Kimeze’s unique artistic technique—utilising dry chalks, oil pastels and wet paints on unconventional surfaces like suede matboard—lends her pieces a distinctive luminosity and textural depth.
Spanning the Main Gallery and Fire Station Galleries, the exhibition will showcase an array of new paintings and works on paper. A highlight includes a newly commissioned tapestry from Edinburgh’s renowned Dovecot Studios, alongside a painted folding screen that further demonstrates Kimeze’s innovative approach.
Literary influences play a significant role in Kimeze’s artistic vision. She draws inspiration from Black feminist writers of the 20th century, infusing her work with layers of cultural and emotional complexity. Her paintings often reflect a nuanced exploration of “otherness” and the intricate spaces between emotional states.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a meticulously designed hardback catalogue produced by ‘A practice for everyday life’. This comprehensive volume will not only showcase Kimeze’s recent paintings but also feature an insightful essay by Eleanor Nairne, The Keith L. and Katherine Sachs Curator for Modern and Contemporary Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
An engaging conversation between Kimeze and Alayo Akinkugbe, art historian and founder of @ABlackHistoryOfArt, will provide additional context and depth to the exhibition’s narrative.
Kimeze, who lives and works in London, studied at The Royal Drawing School postgraduate programme 2021-2022 where she was awarded the Sir Denis Mahon award; and received her undergraduate degree at the University of Oxford in Biological Sciences.
Recent exhibitions include: Women & Freud: patients, pioneers, artists, Freud Museum, London (2024); Drawing Biennial 2024, Drawing Room (2024); Soulscapes, Dulwich Picture Gallery (2024); Present Tense, Hauser and Wirth, Bruton (2024); Something other than the world might know, White Cube, Paris (2023); Interior, Michael Werner Gallery, London (2023); and The Great Women Artists IV, Residency at Palazzo Monti, Brescia, Italy (2022).
Supported by donors including the Bukhman Foundation and the Foundation Foundation, this exhibition represents a significant milestone in Kimeze’s artistic career and offers audiences a profound meditation on identity, memory, and movement.
The South London Gallery continues to cement its reputation as a crucial platform for emerging and innovative artists, with Kimeze’s exhibition forming part of an exciting 2025 program that also includes exhibitions by Leonardo Drew and Yto Barrada.
Art enthusiasts and cultural observers alike are invited to experience this transformative exhibition, which promises to be a defining moment in contemporary art.
- 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
