Shade

Péjú Oshin is the Associate Director of Gagosian Gallery and curator of Rites of Passage the exhibition featuring work by nineteen contemporary artists who share a history of migration.Rites of Passage explores the idea of “liminal space,” a coinage of anthropologist Arnold van Gennep (1873–1957). It is structured in correspondence with liminality’s three stages: separation, transition, and return. Each of these phases addresses the act of movement, not only through individual experience, but also in the broader context of community. The exhibition examines the status of postcolonial Black identity, specifically the “triple consciousness” experienced by members of the African diaspora when encountering counterparts who identify with local majority populations. Péjú shares the personal and professional journey behind curating this exhibition, plus the impact and legacy of BLM 2020 on her previous role as Curator of Young People's Programmes at Tate and beyond. We round up exploring the visible public positioning of a curator and how the contemporary media landscape informs working practices.Shade Podcast is written, hosted and produced by Lou MensahMusic Shaded is composed by Brian Jackson Thank you for listening and for supporting Shade, a Black independent art show via Patreon and Ko-fiShade InstagramShade websiteRites of Passage at Gagosian Péjú Oshin InstagramSee you next time!

Portals features the voice of Cassi Namoda who shares her reflections based on her practice and work titled 'Worship at Bar Mundo' (2022).View 'Worship at Bar Mundo' here whilst listening to Axel's sonic response throughout this episode. Cassi Namoda is a painter whose work interweaves the personal with the historical. Born in Maputo and having lived in several different countries throughout her life, Namoda’s nomadic lifestyle and multicultural identity has long informed her work. The duality between past and present, colonialism and post-colonialism, Africa and Europe, spiritual traditions and a globalised world is a latent force in her most recent paintings.Discover more of Cassi's work at Xavier Hufkens Gallery, Goodman Gallery, François Ghebaly Gallery and on Cassi's instagram here.Interludes is a collaboration between Shade Podcast and Axel Kacoutié featuring six contemporary artists: Amy Sherald, Ming Smith, Phoebe Boswell, Rahima Gambo, Nnena Kalu and Cassi Namoda.Framed by the question "What does healing sound like?", these podcasts offer a visceral connection with the artists' work. In each episode we weave the artists' reflections through Axel's original soundscapes, as a collaborative exploration of their creative experience.The aim is to soften our tendency to intellectualise artwork, and instead create a sonic texture that is more intimate in its connection with the artist.Concept & Production by Lou Mensah Created by Axel KacoutiéInterludes is supported by Hauser & WirthRead more about this series in Hauser & Wirth Ursula Magazine Additional support by Frieze Membership, the community that champions art. Frieze members enjoy articles from the leading voices shaping today’s art world, priority booking to Frieze fairs and unique perks along the way. Find out more on frieze.com/membership

Mandala features the sounds of the artist Nnena Kalu creating an untitled work and the voice of ActionSpace Associate Artist, Charlotte Hollinshead.Nnena Kalu has created a vast body of sculptural and 2D artworks and developed a live, performative element to her practice. She is driven by an instinctive urge to build repeated marks and forms, creating intensely layered, visually impactful artworks with dense colours and compacted, flowing lines. Nnena has developed her artistic practice at the ActionSpace studio in Studio Voltaire since 1999.ActionSpace is London’s leading development agency for learning disabled artists. All of their work is focused towards enabling learning disabled artists to have a professional career in the arts. View Nnena's work here whilst listening to Axel's sonic response throughout this episode.Interludes is a collaboration between Shade Podcast and Axel Kacoutié featuring six contemporary artists: Amy Sherald, Ming Smith, Phoebe Boswell, Rahima Gambo, Nnena Kalu and Cassi Namoda.Framed by the question "What does healing sound like?", these podcasts offer a visceral connection with the artists' work. In each episode we weave the artists' reflections through Axel's original soundscapes, as a collaborative exploration of their creative experience.The aim is to soften our tendency to intellectualise artwork, and instead create a sonic texture that is more intimate in its connection with the artist.Concept & Production by Lou Mensah Created by Axel KacoutiéInterludes is supported by Hauser & WirthRead more about this series in Hauser & Wirth Ursula Magazine Additional support by Frieze Membership, the community that champions art. Frieze members enjoy articles from the leading voices shaping today’s art world, priority booking to Frieze fairs and unique perks along the way. Find out more on frieze.com/membership