FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 04, 2021
Media Contact: Jonah Batambuze, Jonah@Blindian-project.com, +44(0)7398200829
Jonah Batambuze Awarded Metal U.K. Artist-In-Residency 2021/2022
Month-Long Residency Provides Opportunity for Batambuze to Develop Artistic Practice, Culminating with a Community-Based Exhibition
Peterborough, U.K. -- Today, Ugandan-American activist, interdisciplinary artist and #BlindianProject founder, Jonah Batambuze announced a month-long residency with Metal U.K. Between October 2021 and March 2022, Batambuze will receive support from Metal experts to further develop his artistic practice. In addition, he will continue his research on artists Theaster Gates and Thomas Hirschorn, network with local/national/international organizations with a similar ethos, and develop a new body of work (untitled). The residency will culminate with a community-based exhibition.
"I'm delighted to have received this opportunity to research and further develop my ideas surrounding the #BlindianProject. Unfortunately, the number of people/organizations doing intersectional work to unite Black x Brown communities is limited. Building community is essential. Art is the perfect medium to bring our communities together," said Jonah Batambuze.
'We are very excited to welcome Jonah into residence at Metal and support him to further his research ideas. His work exploring the relationships between cultures and communities and where they intersect through love, generosity, and shared experience feels relevant and needed. We look forward to being part of the dialogue, listening and learning, and seeing where the next stage of the project's development goes.'" said Mark Richards, Director, Metal U.K."
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About Jonah Batambuze
Jonah Batambuze is a Ugandan-American activist and self-taught interdisciplinary artist born in Chicago and raised in the cornfields of central Illinois. His artwork is often participatory, centers marginalized identities and focuses on solidarity-building at the intersection of Black x Brown cultures. By highlighting shared historical experiences and love, Batambuze uses social media, stimulating sensory installations and rituals to inspire unity. His work is featured by BBC World News, The Times of India, The Washington Post/The Lily and other publications. Jonah lives outside London with his South Indian wife, son, and daughter.
About the Blindian Project
The #BlindianProject is a social impact media platform and global community. The platform started as a passion project in 2017 in response to an Al-Jazeera article about street mobs attacking Africans in New Delhi. The aim was to create a safe space that celebrated often "invisible" Black x Brown relationships. Re-launched In 2020 and inspired by a racial uprising not witnessed since the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, the community grew from 1,000 < to over 23,000 worldwide.
About Metal U.K.
Metal is an R&D space for artists working in all disciplines - providing time, space, and resources for artists to explore their practice, take risks and pursue bold ideas through residencies and Labs. We bring these artists and their work into a relationship with the towns and cities where we work through workshops, discussions, publications, small-scale events, and large-scale festivals. Metal is funded as a National Portfolio Organisation by Arts Council England.
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