CURRENT | UPCOMING
9 March - 26 May 2024
Group exhibition
Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood
Curated by Hettie Judah
Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol
1 May - 27 July 2024
Group exhibition
Curated by Ingrid Jones
Art Museum at the University of Toronto, Canada
22 June - 29 September 2024
Group exhibition
Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood
Curated by Hettie Judah
Midlands Art Centre (MAC), Birmingham
24 October - 19 January 2025
Group exhibition
Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood
Curated by Hettie Judah
Millennium Gallery, Sheffield
February - June 2025
Group exhibition
Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood
Curated by Hettie Judah
Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA), Dundee
Interviewer for Essex County Council Cultural Ambassadors films, Essex
SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
2024 - Gestures Towards Telling A New Narrative, National Maritime Museum, London
2023 - Living in the Wake of the Lust for Sugar, Museum of London Docklands, London
2023 - Ode to David Lammy MP (2022), Bernie Grant Arts Centre, London
2023 - Free to Flourish, Tate Britain, London
2022 - Othered in a region that has been historically Othered, Focal Point Gallery, Essex
2019 - Black Girl Essex, Firstsite, Essex
2018 - Forgotten Black Essex, Metal Culture, Essex
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 - Re-Naissance, Curated by Hettie Judah, Unit London, Voices digital online platform
2023 - Rites of Passage, Curated by Péjú Oshin, Gagosian, Britannia Street Gallery, London
2023 - Precarious, Curated by Jess Twyman, Art Exchange, University of Essex
2022 - Love, Celebration and the Road Ahead, TJ Boulting, London
2022 - Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2021, South London Gallery, London
2021 - Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2021, Firstsite, Essex
2020 - Policy Making: The Agency of Visible Women, Beecroft Art Gallery, Essex
2019 - Super Black, Arts Council Collection National Partners Programme exhibition, Firstsite, Essex
2019 - Time Portals, Curated by Ruth Catlow, Furtherfield (Gallery), London
2018 - The Agency of Visible Women, Beecroft Art Gallery, Essex
SCREENINGS
2023 - Othered in a region that has been historically Othered (2022), G.A.S. Yinka Shonibare Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria
2023 - Black Girl Essex: Here We Come, Look We Here (2019), Belongings: Windrush 75, Tilbury Cruise Terminal, Essex
2023 - Lies Myths and Truths (2006), Re-Naissance, Unit London, part of London Gallery Weekend, London
2023 - A Jab Jab Awakening Towards a New Essex (2022), Sounding Images, Birkbeck Cinema (BIMI), London
2023 - An Afrofuture Narrative for Essex (2022), Sounding Images, Birkbeck Cinema (BIMI), London
2023 - The Journey (2022), Sounding Images, Birkbeck Cinema (BIMI), London
2022 - Black Girl Essex: Here We Come, Look We Here (2019), Floor Five Collective, Goldsmiths CCA, London
2022 - Black Girl Essex: Here We Come, Look We Here (2019), Big Screen Southend, Focal Point Gallery, Essex
2022 - Forgotten Black Essex films (2018), Big Screen Southend, Focal Point Gallery, Essex
2021 - Black Girl Essex: Here We Come, Look We Here (2019), Firstsite, Online
2020 - Forgotten Black Essex films (2018), part of the Essex Girls exhibition, Beecroft Art Gallery, Essex
2020 - Forgotten Black Essex: Princess Dinubolu (2018), One Southend BHM Event, Online
2020 - Black Girl Essex: Here We Come, Look We Here (2019), IWD event, Beecroft Art Gallery, Essex
2019 - Love in Social Practice (2019), Going Places Festival, Cubitt and All Change, London
2018 - Forgotten Black Essex (2018), Big Screen Southend, Focal Point Gallery, Essex
2018 - Goat Curry & Rap (2010), The Agency of Visible Women, Beecroft Art Gallery, Essex
RESIDENCIES
2023 - Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Yinka Shonibare Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria
2022 - Elsa James at Essex, five-month research residency, Art Exchange, University of Essex, Essex
2020 - Remote Residency, selected artist for month-long residency focusing on new research, Metal Southend, Essex
2019 - Black Girl Essex: four-month residency exploring the black British voice in Essex, Firstsite, Essex
2017 - E+E: five-month Time and Space residency with Everton Wright, Metal Culture, Essex
GRANTS, AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
2023 - Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award (Nominated) UK
2023 - Elsa James: A New Chapter, Developing Your Creative Practice, Arts Council England
2023 - Henry Moore Foundation Artist Award, UK
2023 - Firstsite Collectors' Group Bursary Award, UK
2022 - Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award (Nominated) UK
2022 - Othered in a region that has been historically Othered, New body of work, Project Grant, Arts Council England
2021 - Freelands Award (Finalist with Focal Point Gallery) UK
2021 - THIS IS ESSEX, Ten-month period of research, Project Grant, Arts Council England
2020 - Emergency Response Award, Arts Council England
2019 - Black Girl Essex, Firstsite residency and new work, Project Grant, Arts Council England
2018 - Forgotten Black Essex, Research and new work, Grants for the Arts, Arts Council England
COLLECTIONS
2022 - Beecroft Art Gallery, UK
2021 - Private Collection (London) UK
2021 - Government Art Collection, UK
2021 - Private Collection (Southend) UK
REVIEWS AND PUBLICATIONS
2024 - Radical reboot of Black presence in art explored in three London shows, by Louisa Buck, The Art Newspaper, online
2023 - Living in the Wake of the Lust for Sugar, by Harry Conway, The Reviews Hub, London
2023 - An Ode to Black Essex Girls, by Storm Thompson, gal-dem online magazine
2023 - An artist's ode to David Lammy MP, Haringey Community Press
2023 - Blue plaque for Princess Dinubolu unveiled in Southend, BBC News online
2023 - Black Blossoms is curating a one-night-only art event at Tate Britain, Dazed & Confused, online
2023 - Making Essex Proud, Essex Life magazine, March issue in print and online
2022 - The Essex Life 50 Most Influential People List, Essex Life magazine, November online
2022 - Re-imagining Essex July 2022 Diary by Jonathan Evens, Artlyst online
2022 - What it means to be Black Girl Essex by Hettie Judah, The i Paper, in print and online
2022 - Catch Elsa James’ first solo exhibition, The Voice Newspaper, online
2022 - Elsa’s Essex, Essex Life magazine, June issue in print and online
2021 - Artists take to the Arctic and Essex in £100,000 prize bid, Art Review, online
2020 - Essex Girls: For Profane and Opinionated Women Everywhere book by Sarah Perry, cited on pp. 8
2020 - Art by the Water feature by Rick Jordan, Condé Nast Traveller magazine in print and online
2020 - How a Black slave brought to Harlow left behind a legacy remembered for centuries, Essex Live Online
2020 - Black Girl Essex editorial featured by Nicky Adams, Essex Life magazine in print and online
2020 - Scarlet Lipstick and Theology, quoted in Sarah Perry’s essay, Guardian Review in print and online
2020 - The Great Women Artists Podcast, Chloe Austin talks with Katy Hessel, Episode 29 online
2020 - The Black British Artists Challenging Super White Britain by Chloe Austin, Black Ballad online
2019 - Super Black exhibition review by Matthew Bowman, Art Monthly, issue No. 432 Dec- Jan
2019 - Coming Out as a Black Essex Girl contributing feature article, Trawler X EGLF newspaper publication
2019 - The black princess who ‘took on a white world by Laurence Cawley, BBC News online
2019 - I want to challenge people’s perceptions by Darryl Webber, Essex Chronicle newspaper
2019 - Elsa James shows just what an Essex Girl looks like, by Neil D’arcy, Colchester Gazette newspaper
2019 - The black artist taking on the ‘Essex Girl’ stereotype, by Dawn Gerber, BBC News online
2019 - Black identity exhibition, Essex Enquirer newspaper, in print
2019 - Southend artist Elsa takes exhibition to Firstsite gallery, by Kelly Ann Buckley, The Echo (Southend) newspaper
2019 - Exhibition explores black identity in Essex, Essex Chronicle newspaper, in print
2019 - Exhibition to celebrate park’s 150th anniversary, Enfield Independent newspaper
2019 - The Invention of Essex, Cited by Tim Burrows, Long read Guardian newspaper
2018 - Essex black history film closes, by Kelly Ann Buckley, The Echo (Southend) newspaper
2018 - Artist responds to forgotten black Essex, by Kelly Ann Buckley, The Echo (Southend) newspaper
COMMISSIONS
2023 - In response to the London Sugar and Slavery Gallery, Museum of London Docklands, London
2022 - A Place With A Heart: A Place To Grow, Vinyl Artwork, Mayesbrook Children's Centre, (Create London)
2022 - A Place With A Heart: A Place To Grow, Permanent Artwork, The White House (Create London)
2021 - A Place With A Heart: A Place To Grow, Procession, The White House (Create London)
2020 - New Town Culture Programme, Exploring local histories with foster families, The White House (Create London)
2020 - In Other Words, Book publication, Contributing artist, Metal and the Live Art Development Agency
2020 - WE STAND WITH YOU, Black Lives Matter poster download, Firstsite, Essex
2020 - Generation Rebellion R&D, Co-lead Artist with Sue Mayo, Intergenerational workshops and Zine, Magic Me, London
2019 - Circle of Blackness, Exploring a past and future black woman narrative, Furtherfield, London
2019 - Love in Social Practice, Artist film, Cubitt, London
2018 - Decorum, Co-lead Artist with Sue Mayo, Intergenerational workshops and film, Magic Me and Metal Culture, Essex
CURATORIAL
2022 - Othered in a region that has been historically Othered, Solo exhibition, Focal Point Gallery, Essex
2021 - Walking in the Wake: Michael McMillian and Dubmorphology, Estuary 2021 Opening Weekend, Online
2021 - During the Hour of Darkness: James Jordon Johnson and Shamica Ruddock, Estuary 2021 Opening Weekend, Online
2021 - A Short History of Nearly Everything: Antonio Roberts, Estuary 2021 Opening Weekend, Online
2021 - Jeannette Ehlers, Fiona Compton & Aleema Gray, Panel discussion, Estuary 2021 Opening Weekend, Online
2019 - Super Black, Arts Council Collection National Partners Programme exhibition, Firstsite, Essex
SELECTED APPOINTMENTS AND WORKSHOPS
2023 - Artist Advisor, Open Advice Sessions for Global Majority Artists, Metal Southend
2023 - Critical Friend for the Havering London Bid to become London Borough of Culture 2025
2023 - Judge, Make A Difference Awards 2023, BBC Essex radio
2023 - Official judge, Mas Bands on the road, Notting Hill Carnival
2023 - Artist Mentor to George Morgan's DYCP programme
2023 - Visiting Lecturer, BA Fine Art, Chelsea School of Arts, London
2023 - Visiting Lecturer, BA Fine Art, University Centre Colchester
2023 - Visiting Lecturer, Graduate Diploma in Art, Goldsmiths, University of London
2022 - Visiting Lecturer, Graduate Diploma in Art, Goldsmiths, University of London
2021 - Lead Artist, Holiday Fun Summer programme, Firstsite, Essex
2021 - Devised activity, Discover Essex with Elsa James, Holiday Fun Half-term programme, Firstsite, Essex
2021 - Artist Mentor to George Morl for the Agency of Visible Womxn and The Old Waterworks residency, Online
2020 - Artist Selector, New moving image works for Big Screen Southend programme, Focal Point Gallery, Essex
2019 - Panel Artist Judge, New Voices Auditions, BBC Essex, Essex
2019 - Lead Artist, Change the Conversation, Young Women’s 4-day Art and Activism Project, Autograph ABP, London
2019 - Panel Selector, Social Art Network + Kickstarter PBC, Coaching Programme, London
2019 - Lead Artist, Social Art Assembly, Lab sharing and discussion, Tate Exchange, London
2018 - Lead Artist, Social Art Summit, Participatory lab discussion and debate, Site Gallery, Sheffield
2018 - Nominated Artist, No Shortlists experimental Joshua Sofaer workshop, Social Works? Axisweb, London
2018 - Co-lead Artist, Alexandra Leykauf Caprona workshop for Start Children’s programme, Focal Point Gallery, Essex
2017 - Co-lead Artist, Hilary Lloyd Theatre workshop for Start Children’s programme, Focal Point Gallery, Essex
PUBLIC TALKS AND INTERVIEWS
2023 - In Conversation with Jean François Manicon, The Transatlantic Slavery & Legacies in Museums Forum, online
2023 - In Conversation with artist Harold Offeh, chaired by Louisa Buck, Firstsite, Colchester
2023 - Emipire Lines podcast x Museum of London Docklands, episode no.90
2023 - Decoding Turner, Sky Arts, for broadcast 06/09/23 with Turner expert former nano-scientist Nick Wilkinson
2023 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Dotun Adebayo show: 13/08/23, BBC Radio London
2023 - Un-Becoming, an in-person panel discussion with Hettie Judah, Unit London, part of London Gallery Weekend
2023 - Panel Talk with Trevor Mathison and Beverley Bennett chaired by Karen Alexander, Sounding Images, Birkbeck Cinema
2023 - Live Radio Broadcast, Matthew Sweet Free Thinking: 18/05/23 with Tim Burrows, Dan Talyor & Simon Heffer, BBC Radio 3
2023 - Matador Network X Visit Britain, Essex broadcast with US travel influencer Alexa Moore
2023 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Rob Jelly evening show: 15/03/23, BBC Essex, Essex
2023 - Artists' Talk Precarious exhibition, chaired by Dr Matthew Bowman, Art Exchange, University of Essex
2022 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Dave Monk show: 30/12/22, BBC Essex, Essex
2022 - Re-entering the Artworld, discussion chaired by Hettie Judah, TJ Boulting, London
2022 - Live Radio Broadcast on Woman’s Hour with Anita Rani: 15/07/22, BBC Radio 4, London
2022 - Guided walk and talk with Syd Moore, Focal Point Gallery and Essex Book Festival, Essex
2022 - Interview with Ekow Eshun, Focal Point Gallery, Exhibition booklet and published online
2022 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Sadie Nine show: 27/06/22, BBC Essex, Essex
2022 - Emotional Labour of Social Practice Artists, Speaker, Social Art Network, Online
2021 - BEING OTHERED IN A REGION THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY OTHERED, CAMP, Online
2021 - Intersections in the Art of Elsa James, book launch and talk, Estuary Festival, Online
2021 - Working Class British Art Network, Discussion with Sean Edwards and Aidan Moesby, British Art Network, Online
2021 - In Conversation with Sepake Angiama (Artistic Dir, Iniva) and Jon Blackwood (Writer & Curator), Firstsite, Online
2021 - Artist talk with Q&A, British Libraries Unfinished Business: The Fight for Women's Rights, Suffolk Libraries, Online
2020 - Artist talk, POC in the Industry, Blackground Black History Month event, University of the Arts London, Online
2020 - In Conversation with actor/writer Anne Odeke, Queens Theatre Hornchurch, YouTube Video
2020 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Ian Wyatt BBC Introducing show: 12/10/20, BBC Essex, Essex
2020 - Panellist with Marc Garrett, Cassie Thornton and Tomislav Medak, RadicalxChange Conference, New York, Online
2020 - In Conversation with artists R.M Sanchez-Camus and Sian Williams, Axisweb, Online
2020 - Artist discussion with Q&A, Quarantine Dialogues curated by Jon Blackwood and Maja Zeco, Online
2020 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Sonia Watson breakfast show: 08/06/20, BBC Essex, Essex
2020 - Artist Talk with Q&A, PEER Ambassadors programme, PEER Gallery, London
2019 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Ben Fryer and Sonia Watson breakfast show: 22/11/19, BBC Essex, Essex
2019 - Artist Talk with Q&A, Norwich University of the Arts, Norfolk
2019 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Dave Monk Drive time show: 17/10/19, BBC Essex, Essex
2019 - TV News Presentation Feature on BBC Look East: 16/10/19, BBC, Essex
2019 - Live Radio Broadcast, The Essex Girl stereotype panel debate with Emma Bullimore: 30/07/19, BBC Essex, Essex
2019 - TV News Feature on BBC London: 24/07/19, BBC, London
2019 - TV News Feature on BBC Look East: 22/07/19, BBC, Essex
2019 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Kath Melandri Saturday Breakfast: 29/06/19, BBC Essex, Essex
2019 - Live Radio Broadcast on the Tony Fisher Show: 27/06/19, BBC Essex, Essex
2019 - Live Radio Broadcast, Windrush Diversity Panel on the Jodie Halford Show: 19/06/19, BBC Essex, Essex
2019 - No Frills Working Dinner Party, part show, part discussion with Scottee & Friends, The Albany, London
2019 - The Guilty Feminist Live Tour panel chat with Deborah Frances-White, Cliffs Pavilion, Essex
2019 - Artist Talk with Q&A, Gray’s School of Art, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
2019 - Artist Talk with Q&A, School of Art and Digital Industries, University of East London, London
2018 - Forgotten Black Essex, Presentation with Q&A for BHM18, The Sixth Form College, Essex
2018 - Who am I? Identity and Belonging, panel discussion with Q&A, Focal Point Gallery, Essex
2018 - The Archive & Historical Geographies of The Black Presence, Talk, panel discussion with Q&A, Autograph, London
2018 - Radio interview for Peter Holmes Sunday Breakfast: 18/02/18, BBC Essex, Essex
2018 - Babble Arts Chat, Internet Radio interview on Forgotten Black Essex, Essex
2017 - Stories of Resistance and Solidarity, International Women’s Day panel discussion, Metal Culture, Essex
EDUCATION
2020 - 21 - Syllabus VI, Alternative MA Programme with Wysing Art Centre, Eastside Projects, iniva, Spike Island + Studio Voltaire
2013 - 15 - Postgraduate Certificate, Participatory and Community Arts, Goldsmiths, University of London
2006 - 10 - BA (Hons) Fine Art, Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London