Interviewing Nacheal Catnott: A Window Space Where Black Culture Meets Art
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With the uproar from the Black Lives Matter Movement last year, there has been a greater demand from black artists and those who support them to give black artists equal opportunities and platforms from which to stand. Dark Yellow Dot has always been committed to showcasing the works of emerging artists, with many of these being the works of artists of colour in and around London. Despite the restrictions of Covid-19, they have announced their latest exhibition which is Covid-19 safe being displayed at a window gallery. The exhibition features the powerful work of a young Black British female artist.
MEET ARTIST NACHEAL CATNOTT.
Known for incorporating sculptures made from yam as a metaphorical symbol of the presence of black people in Britain, Dark Yellow Dot presents ‘Evolved’ by Nacheal Catnott at the 1B Window Gallery. Nacheal Catnott is a British-Caribbean artist and documentary filmmaker who is passionate about producing dynamic and thought-provoking content that engages with diverse audiences. Although this is Nacheal’s first exhibition with Dark Yellow Dot, it’s not the first time she has worked with them. Her multimedia arts platform True Colour Collective was an integral part of the ‘BOLD’ exhibition in conjunction with Theatre Deli for Black History Month back in 2019.
Residing in the heart of Walthamstow, East London, what was once a disused shop front of a substation is now an art gallery showcasing amazing artworks that can be viewed through the windows all day, every day. The 1B Window Gallery on Coppermill Lane was set up by Invisible Numbers, an artist collective founded in 2016. Through the 1B Window Gallery they are able to continue sharing great art for the community bringing a new lease of life into the surrounding areas and beyond.
What is the inspiration behind this exhibition?
It came from a series of images that I made just before the first lockdown in March 2020. I made a series called ‘Evolved’. I chose this title for the whole series and exhibition because it’s based on the evolution of my ideas and me currently looking at refining and developing my work. I’ve specifically been looking at the refinement of using yam as a subject and art material, and the inspiration lies in looking at high fashion and making comments on the debate between appropriation and cultural appreciation. Also looking at the fine line between the specific objects that make reference to black culture, black trends, or what’s typically known as black cultural items. That’s why the use of the red bandana and the puffer jacket are there. All these references link to urbanisation, specifically London / South London urban areas of the UK. Ultimately, I’m posing a question on appropriation, appreciation and those watery, murky lines between the two.
What/who are the biggest influences in your art practice?
In terms of artists and references, I would have to say John Akomfrah and Ingrid Pollard are probably two of my main key references that I referred to and I’m inspired by when I think about my practice. I’m interested in addressing race, migration, cross-cultural diversity, the experiences of the Windrush generation, and my grandparent’s migration into the country. Ultimately my inspiration and starting point of this kind of work comes from my time studying abroad in Canada. I was in Canada for one term (about 4 months) in 2015, and people calling me ‘African-American’ and me standing there with my South London British accent, it felt really confusing and I started to realise more about this polite nature of language and what it meant to be black. I really started to dig into my identity and start looking into questions like, ‘where do you come from?’, ‘is it necessary to uphold cultural traditions?’ etc. There were all these different aspects that came from my time when I was studying abroad.
There wasn’t a language barrier in the part of Canada I went to, so I guess I wasn’t expecting to have this different cultural experience or start questioning my cultural identity in that way. This led me to begin to explore and speak to my grandparents and my great aunts about their journeys and migration into Britain, and that’s where it all comes from. These questions of ‘where do you come from?’ and ‘do we have a responsibility to uphold cultural traditions and if so, why?’ run through my practice. I’m interested in people, places and drawing questions on the changing social and political landscape.
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Having previously exhibited in / curated exhibitions in and around London, how did your experience inform the curation of this exhibition?
I have been involved in numerous group shows across London and the South-East. I’ve shown work in The Institute of Contemporary Arts London, Modern Art Oxford, in a South London gallery, as well as numerous different events and features on online platforms. So I’ve had an experience of curating and also having my work exhibited. In terms of how this experience has informed the curation of this exhibition, for me it’s been amazing to have the opportunity to showcase my art despite the current Covid-19 restrictions and the mental and physical strains that the pandemic has caused. It’s really opened my eyes to the possibilities of working in a way that might be a bit more traditional in terms of composition and being wall-based. A lot of my work tends to be film and live performance. To have a wall-based, solely sculptural show is not an area I’ve particularly had experience in, so that’s been amazing. It’s really given me a new way to be thinking of my practice and I’m more inspired than I ever have been to reignite the fire in my art practice. I’ve had a bit of a break and I think that’s another reason why the title of this exhibition is ‘Evolved’. It’s about me evolving with myself mentally as well as with my art practice over time and rekindling my relationship with my work. Especially with the yam and using it as a consistent medium throughout the work.
It’s an embodiment of my experience as a black woman living in the UK
How has your art practice evolved over time?
How has your art practice evolved over time?
I started out doing traditional nudist-based work, primarily the female form, and heavily driven in feminist expression. My trip to Vancouver Canada really got me thinking about my personal identity and what it means to be a person of colour living in a country like Britain and, over time, I developed my filmmaking techniques. My BA is in Art & Philosophy and I just started beginning to explore the process of documenting accounts from my family members and their experiences of migration via film. My MA allowed me to develop that technique on a practical and technical basis. In that respect, I’ve refined my documentary and filmmaking style and I’m constantly looking at new ways of collaborating without being concerned with what medium I use. I am multimedia in the way I think, but I’m mainly into using mediums such as film, sculpture, and performance. However, the work often takes different avenues. I’ve previously done text-based work and recently in this show I’ve painted tapestries which I’ve never done before, and I’m just starting to explore paint. For me it’s not being confined by a medium, and I’m more looking into the sociology of the place and political landscape I’m in and the evolving and changing notions. So I think that’s how my practice has evolved in terms of the theoretical and conceptual ideologies and also being open to explore in multiple mediums.
What advice would you give to artists who are just starting out?
I’d say never give up and be true to the work that you’re interested in creating. Don’t allow anyone to pigeonhole you in terms of genre, style, and pathway. I think It’s important to align yourself with knowledge and education. Continue finding references and using the world around you, whether that’s through physically going to exhibitions and interacting with people in places, or using resources such as books, television etc. to be informed and develop your knowledge around topics you’re interested in. I would say to get a mentor and seek the resources that are at your fingertips. If you’re interested in a specific thing find out how you can specialise in it or find out who can help you. I don’t think anyone should be defined by where they come from, their race, and their abilities. It’s really about not being held back and just believing in your craft, your talent and yourself.
You founded ‘True Colour Collective’, a multimedia arts platform, to celebrate and support people of colour. Are you hopeful for the role artists of colour will play in the art world in the future?
The role of artists of colour in the future is well established because we make up a high proportion of amazing creativity and innovative ways of working. The talent among artists of colour is immense. The question is the representation and inclusivity. Our challenge is still to find acceptance and inclusivity in the institutionalised spaces, and I think what’s exciting about now is that people are starting to carve up spaces for themselves, whether that’s online or forming their own collectives. I think we’re at the stage of mobilisation where the institution and the industries that lead can’t ignore us for much longer.
We’re starting to realise that our viewpoints and our culture enriches us and allows us to rise and strive, and that’s something they can never take away from us. It’s up to them to harness, support, and elevate that. Gone are the days where we don’t see diversity and inclusivity championed. Especially last year with everything that happened and the flood of the Black Out Tuesday squares highlights that excluding people of colour is not going to be tolerated. We’re here and we’re present and valid. We have excellent talent amongst us.
What do you suggest can be done to support black artists?
It’s about major institutions acknowledging the lack of diversity head on. It’s about giving us a seat at the table and equal opportunities. I think many people think that we want the directors of major organisations such as the National Gallery or the BBC to be sacked and replaced with people of colour, and that’s not what we’re saying. We’re saying that we want an equal playing field and an equal opportunity. Ultimately, it’s about listening to black artists and bringing them into a safe space and actually tackling these issues head on. Also being prepared to potentially feel uncomfortable but still executing these changes into policies, recruitment, and representation. Offering mentorship and support and not just throwing out schemes that can also create more potential isolation but really listening.
I also think there’s a really big responsibility for art schools and institutions as it’s their job to be more diverse and to recruit and have their faculty and their students be inclusive and there’s just no excuses anymore. I think it’s important for organisations of colour and people of colour to be championing one another and working together. A lot of the time we work as separate entities, so there could be more of a directory where leading/emerging organisations that support people of colour and black artists and creatives are made widely accessible. I think all these things are happening, but for me the major change needs to come from the big institutions and industries that are leading. For them to create space and do so with integrity and genuine notions and not just in a way that ticks boxes and can create more trouble than good.
How does your art practice reflect the UK?
It’s an embodiment of my experience as a black woman living in the UK, and it’s a lot to do with the migration of those in the Windrush as my grandparents are a part of that generation. It’s also about the yams standing as a symbol for black presence and black experience in the UK. I’m interested in the existence of black people outside of our native ancestry and homeland, and making our contribution known and celebrated. That our histories, stories and experiences are recognised and represented in mainstream channels and the national curriculum. I think it’s important that my work attempts to raise awareness to some of those facts and tries to place black people and our experience at the forefront in a positive way.
Do you have any new projects coming up?
I’m currently working with Goldsmiths University to create a series of videos about the New Cross Fire and the Black Peoples’ Day of Action which took place in 1981. This year will be the 40-year anniversary since the Black Peoples’ Day of Action which saw the first major uprising of black people in this country. I’m developing a series of videos with people who were present and have memories and experiences of that day. I’m also working with the University of Reading and a company called Open Hand, Open Space to create a new piece which will be displayed in Reading. I’m hoping it will look at presenting the yam as a relic and monument and really refine this idea of it standing as a symbol for black British experience. I’m also continuing to work as a freelancer in broadcast television, so I’ve got a few projects in that respect in the pipeline as well.
In what ways has Dark Yellow Dot helped you as an emerging artist?
Dark Yellow Dot is an amazing platform. They hone in and nurture talent and have been amazing in providing me with exposure, resources, time and space. Space has been the most important, especially living in London. It’s been particularly hard ever since I graduated from my art degree to find space and time to develop a piece of work and have it shown and exhibited in the way I have done. I’ve been getting a really great response and a lot more following and interest into my work, as well as a lot more traffic to my website and my social platforms. Dark Yellow Dot is a great resource that is very necessary and is championing and supporting emerging artists, and I can only thank them and remain grateful for all the support they have given me with the exhibition.
MORE FROM NACHEAL CATNOTT
To see Nacheal’s work in person, you can visit her solo exhibition held at the 1B Window Gallery located in Walthamstow, East London. Viewing this exhibition is Covid safe as this is a Window Gallery and can be viewed from the street. The exhibition will be on display from January 30th – March 5th, 2021. Otherwise, check out Nacheal’s Instagram @nachealcatnott and website to see more of her work.
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