The money would be used to continue our cultural relevance, within the context in which we work in. Coming from West Africa and Brazil collectively, and having lived in the UK, being able to bring these worlds together through collective practice, will be a huge opportunity to grow community and cultural exchange. Field trips to those locations will allow us to build and draw close to the Brazilian and African Diaspora. This we look forward to apply within the body of work we look forward to achieve which is rooted in cultural heritage and origin and one which will be influential for the area of Darlington and the area our practice continues to effect in a positive light. Coming from working class background, we are passionate about equality, inclusion and accessibility, and we would use the funds to sustain our practice through community engagement, workshops and activities which will require the finances to continue. We look to doing regular activities that are thematically planned, and the award will increase our practice when moving forward. We look to achieve so much more and as diverse artist’s collectively, we look to achieving a collective sense of art community, but also fulfillment for those who join us on the journey; this is something not just for our own practice and benefit but to inspire and encourage those like us to keep going, to know that the support from the dover prize fund has transformed and changed our trajectories for the better. Equipment will be purchased in order to create more work, which will combine grout and painting. Within our practice there is a shared language in performance art, as well as sculpture, so access to wood workshops will be helpful for us to sustain that practice. We explore sound with performance and this has been an immersive and emotive experience not just for us but for the audience and those who come into contact with our practice. In addition, we would also love to exhibit our works as we care creative regularly and do not have the space to show the works on a public scale.
As an area, Darlington in the north east of England, is booming with potential. Most importantly, only around 0.1 to 3.3% of the population make up asian, mixed and black identity. As diverse artists ourselves, our work continued to explore and delve into the figurative, race, identity and sexuality. JILO’s work has become a way of building communities to be open to diversity and inclusion, through the coming together of distinct practices. Our work will enhance and raise the profile of the creative Artis in the area through shared language of inclusion and continual workshopping as practice. It will also be a good focus to hear from current residence living in Darlington, to continue the open dialogue around west African and Brazilian Culture, and this will give a taste of what JILO brings as a collective. There is also an invitation for those who are of mixed, asian, African or latino heritage to be bold about their identity, and this will raise the profile of the creative arts in Darlington, to make it more inviting to have artists who share such unique stories and narratives.
JILO is about creating community-rooted work that explores creativity as a space for collective care, expression and empowerment. We explore mental health, accessibility, and youth engagement – most recently through murals and participatory art and have a commitment to youth voice, intersectionality, and creative health which resonates deeply with our practice and center’s collaboration, identity, and wellbeing. Artistically, JILO represents the voices of two artist’s which blend to express collective experience, cultural resonance and the beauty of human connect. JILO has been part of the Tate Off-print event in May, and has also exhibited as part of our open studios titled ‘Release’ which was a self-initiated exhibition. These opportunities have given us the exposure to share our practice at large and to inspire audiences.
Yes, we are recent graduates of the MA Fine Art course at Central Saint Martins (UAL) and graduated in 2024.
The Mullenlowe Nova Award in 2024- Runner Up Prize which helped us to secure our studio space where we work now.
Yes, we are involved with organizing and delivering artist led workshops which include schools, charities and organizations. This is our heart and a great way to share our practice at large within unfamiliar audiences. This is a way to be confident in what we do. Projects we run are with schools as well, where we run thematic workshops based on exhibitions seen- we are working with October Gallery on a series of workshop deliveries looking at the Aubrey Williams exhibition.
Purchased by Jesus College, Cambridge, as part of their artworks looking at diversity and inclusion.
Yes it has, in the UAL LinkedIn-exclusive Newsletter: The Early Creative, which aims to bring advice, stories and resources to support subscribers in the early stages of their career in the arts and creative industries. The newsletter is published monthly and currently has 57,283 subscribers. The work was featured as part of the Black History Month edition.
Our work has also been featured in NSEAD, Art Education Journey AD38 for their September 2023 Edition.
No, we are not represented by a gallery.
Yes, International Summercampus- Kalbe in Germany in 2023.
https://kuenstlerstadt-kalbe.de/index.php
Email: jilosarte@gmail.com
Address: Eade Road Studio, 195 Eade Road, London, Harringay, N4 1DN, GB
Local Authority: Harringay
