A brand new multi-functional art space is about to surface in north London, which suggests something of a silver lining for the city’s art scene following a year of turbulence and uncertainty.
Home, founded by 26-year-old photographer, director and curator, Ronan McKenzie, was conceived out of necessity for a ‘truly accessible art space’. Through a wide-ranging programme of exhibitions and events and a ‘new infrastructure for creativity’, the space offers a physical platform to champion BAME artists and audiences.
As McKenzie – who has previously exhibited works at Somerset House and The National Theatre, and collaborated with the likes of Nike and Glossier – notes, many of the city’s art spaces continue to work on hierarchical structures, which are all-too-often out of reach for BAME artists and audiences. ‘A new art space concept is desperately needed, not only because the representation within most gallery spaces is still not diverse enough to respond to and appreciate the incredibly vast talent who is currently working, but no spaces are able to offer programming that has community and artistic development at the heart of its practice,’ she says.
Home’s debut show is a collaboration between McKenzie and Mixed media artist Joy Yamusangie. ‘WATA; Further Explorations’, delves into themes of ancestry, cross-cultural connections, music and migration, and takes a film produced by the artists in early 2020 as its starting point.
Breeze, by Home founder and photographer Ronan Mckenzie
In tandem with an ongoing exhibition programme, Home also offers an affordable daylight photo studio, co-working spaces, film nights, supper clubs, artist talks, portfolio reviews, music events, life drawing homing in on the need for an integrated, collaborative approach to art creation and appreciation.
Home promises a versatile model for experimentation, community and social engagement. As McKenzie concludes, ‘Drawing on my own experiences of showing work at institutions, and working across fashion and arts, I am all too aware of the difficulties of navigating creative industries as a Black female, and amongst the current offering in London, there needs to be a Home.’ §
WATA, a film written and directed by Joy Yamusangie and Ronan Mckenzie
