Commonwealth artists create new artworks across city

Three artists from Toronto and one from South Africa are creating new artworks across Birmingham from June until August 2022, commissioned by Eastside Projects for the Birmingham 2022 Festival.

The artists - Rajni Perera, Amy Ching-Yan Lam and Joe McCurley from Canada, and Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi from South Africa - will explore Birmingham 's positions, affinities and complicities within the Commonwealth.

Their artwork considers topics including: immigration and landscapes transformed by climate, the global chocolate trade and the experiences of Black athletes in the realm of elite sporting competition and mass entertainment.

Gavin Wade, Eastside Projects curator said: “The approaches of the work are wildly different, based in different experiences and different cultural heritages but they 're all operating in a wider international art world, we wanted to bring some experienced artists who can talk about the Commonwealth to Birmingham and add to our own voices.

“The works aim to exchange ideas and experience between Birmingham and other international voices both historically and in the present day. I think their work will spark a wider examination of the history of Birmingham and how we express our identity, ”

Tim Hodgson, senior producer at Birmingham 2022 Festival said: “We are proud to be commissioning these four extraordinary artists to shine a light on Birmingham 's fascinating and complex history within the Commonwealth. Whether through events, public art, films or performances, each project encourages us to explore our city and understand our histories and traditions better.

“This is just the start, in a packed programme of over 200 events across the Birmingham 2022 Festival inviting us to dig deeper and get to know the untold stories of the region. ”

The commissions are presented by the Birmingham 2022 Festival and generously supported by Arts Council England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom, Canada Council for the Arts and British Council.

Find out more information on the artists and their artwork.

Pictured: Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi in the studio