Charlene Foreman
Building a unique and exclusive partnership to support emerging new talent is a regular dedication for Browns East. This time around, they have set their sights on innovative next-gen artist Divine Southgate-Smith who is not afraid to challenge herself and express her talents to the public.
This year, the visionary artist goes above and beyond to the extreme with her astounding video installation called “Take A Second To Breathe” in collaboration with Jawara Alleyne, Bad with Phones & Brandon Saunders. Situated in the Immersive room in Browns East, Shoreditch – London, it is a space designed to witness the passion, celebration and exploring the collaborative talent within our surrounding community.
Native Togo, West African-born Divine Southgate-Smith was raised between the two cities London and Paris. At present, she continues to explore her passions for art, film, and the creativeness behind video installation at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. She is often described as a trans-disciplinary artist as she continues to expand her skills and develop her knowledge further in sound, installation, film, and performance.
Bringing this video installation together, Divine has shown an impressive visual arrangement that takes her audience on an adventure embracing the expression of blackness within detailed accounts of present and archival resources.
Her objective is to explore the fascinating wonders of expression among these current times, whether you have the privilege to voice how you feel, the choice to love one another, equal opportunities as well as societal change around us. She sets out to create a space showing the spectrum of Black creativity in all forms displayed visually.
She examines female, black, queer awareness, using the connection with the visual interpretation, representation, oppression whether in a societal or political environment. Divine’s work captures the notion of architecture, sculpture, the motion of shapes in spaces as an inspiration, bringing together classic features and modern styles through her striking installations and impressive out of this world digital two-dimensional performances.
Her expressive work speaks volumes and continues to develop as they come alive through abstract forms influenced by her passion for architecture, books, films, and visual arts.
If your in area of East London anytime between now and 13th July, do check out Divine's moving image installation at Browns East, a compelling body of work not to be missed.
Words by Charlene Foreman