28 MARCH TO 14 APRIL 2023
London – Curator Mashonda Tifrere partners with Christie’s Private Sales in a powerful exhibition that marks a month dedicated to the celebration of women around the world. Tifrere’s Harlem upbringing, enlivened by the Expressionist art, music and photography that captivated the 1980s, resulted in her prominence as a singer/songwriter, author and activist. She has since fortified her position as an art leader and cultural disruptor with the creation of Art LeadHer; a platform that has challenged patriarchal history and championed the professional development of marginalised woman artists since its 2016 launch. The selling exhibition of 24 works will be open to view for free from 28 March to 14 April at Christie’s in London, with prices between £2,000-£15,000.
Entitled Note To Self, the works in this exhibition, rich in individuality yet delicately connected by a sense of liberation, are a visual manifestation of Tifrere’s commitment to showcasing art by living Black artists. The result of an upbringing inspired by the cultural and artistic significance of the Harlem Renaissance, Mashonda Tifrere has selected works that reflect her own personal journey and awakening. Varied in their refreshing use of landscapes, gaze, body language and posture, the works in Note to Self, encourage viewers to engage with the elements of ease, peace and comfort that are accumulated along a woman’s path to self-realisation.
In 2016, Tifrere graduated from Christie’s Education, with a degree in Art Business and has returned to present a selection of works with a sensitivity that reflects her fervent journey through the arts. “From 2019 to 2022, I wrote five songs, and called the group Note to Self. I created them using my experiences in bliss, compromise, enlightenment, sexuality, and heartache. In celebration of Women’s Month, I wanted to visualize the music with art by women who make works that I deem compelling and profound yet ethereal and fierce. This exhibition represents the conversations we have in our mind, the poignant affirmations that evolve us.”
Isabel Millar, Specialist, Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s: “Christie’s is delighted to collaborate with Mashonda Tifrere on the exhibition Note to Self which celebrates a dynamic range of living women artists. Tifrere’s commitment to showcasing diversity in her exhibitions and combatting gender bias is inspiring and we look forward to presenting the works at Christie’s in London to mark Women’s History Month.”
The works of the 15 international woman artists included in the exhibition, uniquely navigate the ever-intertwined, contemporary world, with qualities of joy and wisdom in what Tifrere would describe as “Feminine Sovereignty”. Megan Lewis’ emotive use of bold strokes and colour frame her subjects in contemplative wonder. They foreground the layered experiences of Black communities, particularly women, with a critical focus on the elements that simultaneously anchor and unleash the wonderment of her African-American heritage.
In Community, Miami-based painter and muralist Tierra Armstrong transcends time and space through the duality of her fragmented yet balanced portrait style. A multi-sensory artist, Natalie Lauren’s works create a deliberately tender space for the viewer to empathise, and become absorbed in the fantastical world of her subjects. LaToya M. Hobbs’ signature use of stark lines creates an unrelenting expression that forces the viewer to consider the very essence of womanhood. In contrast, Lindsay Adams’ lyrical style demands an introspective contemplation in her depiction of rich floral landscapes. A conversation between world and self, she takes on the challenge of questioning her own identity as a Black and disabled woman.
To further support the exhibition, Christie’s specialist Isabel Millar, alongside the curator Mashonda Tifrere, will lead a panel discussion at Christie’s King Street. The event is supported by the Christie’s Fund, established to broaden access to arts education and careers, as well as use Christie’s brand, platform and resources to develop and promote emerging artists.
