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Your currently viewing RAW Contemporary | View RAW Modern
Proudly born and raised in southeast London, of Jamaican and Andean heritage, to a successful immigrant single mother – who gave me my foundations and was my leading example to stay humble, and work 10x if not 100x harder with everything I do. These foundations lead me to enrol at UAL where I studied Fashion Design. Graduating in 2012, I birthed the Anticlone concept, which symbolises ‘To not conform to suit society, self-explanatory and unclonable unique works’. In line with this, I presented works in exhibition form and clothing, alongside photography, paintings, films and still and moving images which platformed and casted individual creatives as the models wearing my designs. From 2012-2020, I have been independently curating exhibitions. Naturally, curation and visual art began to be present in my exhibitions and presentations, developing my Anticlone concept to the Anticlone Movement. In November 2020, I founded The Anticlone Gallery after I successfully sold one of my own paintings to a private art collector, and made the decision to platform and sell other artists’ works alongside my own, and here we are now.
I have always, from childhood, stated that I would do design/art. I haven’t ever had the desire to be anything else and I naturally evolved to be both an artist and an individual who platforms other artists (since 2016), and with consistent work I developed this more so in 2020 with the founding of Anticlone Gallery.
Marcia Byfield (artist, teacher and my late mother), Daphne English (My late grandmother who was a dressmaker, that immigrated from Jamaica to London) and Maya Angelou (a late poet whose words have uplifted and inspired me from childhood until now).
My heritage and background have completely shaped my artistic practice from the very start. Being both Andean and Jamaican-African, I have naturally been surrounded by powerful individuals who are consciously aware of our powerful history. I was raised by women, rooted in strength and who enforced me to be conscious and aware of their sacrifices. Exploring my heritage through painting and abstract expressionism has been something I have focused on a lot in 2020. My titles of paintings are heavily influenced by this: ‘The Immortal Diaspora’ being the first work I created before founding Anticlone Gallery, was influenced by my late mother and her jamaican-african ancestry and heritage. My first graduate collection was titled Daphne, in homage to my grandmother who embodied strength, something which each garment also embodied. I will always pay homage to my identity and people from my ancestry with everything I do, from my artistic practice to day-to-day life. Community is sacred, especially for immigrant families, and this is something I keep as an ethos to live by with my Anticlone community also.
Painting, Abstract expressionism and Canvas.
The Anticlone Definition is: to not conform to suit society. Anticlone Gallery is an Independent gallery and platform founded and self-funded by myself as both the Founder and Creative Director of Anticlone and conceptual Visual Arts and Design brand SADE ENGLISH. Anticlone is a concept that has evolved and transitioned into a movement, concept, and gallery. It is a conceptual gallery, which holds an unparalleled selection of unique, non-conformist Artists and Creatives. The reasoning behind it is down to me recognising the arts industry had a huge gap in the market for showcasing art without focusing on terms such as emerging or established. I decided to be that bridge and blur the lines. Anticlone introduces a unique new realm and space to learn, buy and discover artists whilst witnessing and being a part of the evolution of contemporary art and design that is Anticlone.
I represent artists who have a cohesive understanding of embodying the truth of creating to share their story, without conforming or caring for society’s boxes and limiting categories of what ‘Art’ is. From Joshua Woolford’s incredible sound installations questioning society, Alejandra Jaimes’ melted wax abstract sculptures exploring the female identity and Parma Ham’s Silicone Lamp sculptures, there is an unspoken understanding of this within each artist I represent.
I don’t have any desire or thoughts on change for young artists, or entrepreneurs. I feel this is the wrong way to focus on change. Artists should evolve as they feel, without the arts industry or people in positions to somewhat enforce direction. If anything, I would like to see the contemporary art world gallerists, galleries and curators in high positions simply give young artists and entrepreneurs a platform, and a chance to showcase their works regardless of their ‘young’ title. By removing age, gender, and race, one can simply showcase works for their true importance and impact regardless of whether they are being or not being seen as established enough. I’d especially like to see more gallerists follow Anticlone’s ethos to blur the lines between established and emerging artists, removing these titles altogether and stripping back to the foundation of art simply being art. It is extremely elitist, and this for me is not what ‘expressions’ are meant to represent.
I’d say yes and no. No, as I make my own space and relationships here and fortunately work with individuals who believe in Anticlone. I believe in making space, and platforming my voice alongside other artists and individuals who have a similar mindset, this way change happens naturally and more specifically, the community becomes stronger to the point where the industry cannot fight it. In terms of resistance, I’ve felt this more so with certain spaces that just scream elitism. I believe in making noise even amongst and within those spaces, where you may not initially be wanted. however, I think it is based upon people being cautious of what is unfamiliar and new…Once I break that barrier I am often received well, and whenever I come into contact with someone who doesn’t respond well, I simply reinforce the importance of Anticlone and keep moving forward. Those who catch on early catch on, and those who don’t. My focus is always on the bigger picture and the end goal of raising awareness around ‘honest art’ and voices.
I recently curated a group exhibition with my Anticlone Artists, titled Anticlone Takeover II at the Newington Green Meeting House. It was an amazing experience to curate my largest yet group show across a three-floor building. This included moving images, sculptures, installations, panels, live performances, film screenings and workshops. All screenings and workshops were free for the local community, and this is something I am extremely proud of. Community spaces, free art spaces and galleries moulded and enabled my mind to evolve beyond my community in Peckham growing up as a young creative; therefore creating inclusive safe spaces, which enable all types of people to learn, exchange, inspire and be inspired by one another was a fulfilling experience for me.
I have a collaboration with Labstore London at the moment where I will be showcasing and offering for sale Anticlone Gallery sculptures and paintings within their store on Newman Street. These works will be available on both the Labstore website and our gallery website. I also am collaborating with numerous inspiring individuals for my upcoming show titled ‘The Antipodcast’. Here, I will invite creatives and individuals from multiple industries to sit and converse about their experience navigating their industry and sharing their knowledge. I plan to launch this in the summer of 2023 and it will be available to listen to and view on anticlonegallery.com & www.sade-english.com alongside streaming platforms. I will be curating another solo show and Sade English collection this year too. The plan to make another clothing collection this year is also in the works…it will be one-off pieces and looks, nothing will be mass produced. Date to be announced soon.
