Candice Allison

Candice Allison is a curator and writer based in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the Director of Bag Factory Artists’ Studios, a non-profit contemporary visual art organisation working at the intersection between South African and international artistic practice and discourse, offering artist studios, residencies, curatorial development, and exhibitions. She recently curated Kudzanai Chiurai’s solo exhibitions We Need New Names at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, and Madness and Civilization at Goodman Gallery Cape Town; Kalmar konstmuseum, Sweden; and Södertälje konsthall, Stockholm. She holds an MA in Curating Contemporary Design from Kingston University London and is a PhD student at University of the Western Cape.

Natalia Forcada

Born 1981 in La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Lives and works in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"Whether exploring body-object-sensory relationships; feminist activism; or beauty politics; Natalia Forcada’s whimsical mixed media works and playful performative/installations delight and provoke action. By bringing into focus the imperceptible rhythms and habits of daily life, the artist reveals the social and cultural conditioning that constricts us in our public and private interactions. Her works prod us to step back, ask candid questions, and reconnect with our self/awareness."

Artwork Image: Percussion for left leg (Prosthetics for musicians), 2017 Performative sculpture.

Sara Al Haddad

Born 1988 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Lives and works in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

2016 MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD, United States (sponsored by US State Department as a Foreign Fulbright Grantee). 2011 BFA, Visual Communication, Graphic Design concentration, American University in Dubai (AUD), Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

"Unexpected juxtapositions of mixed media (concrete, nails and fragile embroidered thread), large scale textile installations, a restrained colour palette, and delicate watercolours expose the deeply personal emotions and experiences that inform Sara Al Haddad’s works. She simultaneously conveys the vulnerability and strength of navigating the complexities of human interactions and relationships, offering both solitude and solace in notions of quiet reflection, self-love and self-care."

Artwork Image: i am trying, 2018. Crocheted yarn.

Janet Taylor Pickett

Born 1948 in Pasadena, California. Lives and works in Pasadena, California.

1972 MFA, University of Michigan, Stamps School of Art and Design, Ann Arbor, Michigan. 1970 BFA, University of Michigan, Stamps School of Art and Design, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

"Janet Taylor Pickett’s works exist between the contemporary world she inhabits, and a history of image making spanning both European art in the late 1800s and feminist African American art from the mid- to late-1900s. Her boldly coloured works combine elements of painting, collage, assemblage and embroidery. The dress as a garment and archetype of female beauty is a thread that runs through many of her works, each one layered with feminine symbolism, multiple perspectives, and botanical accoutrements."

Artwork Image: Circe's Insouciance, 2018. Acrylic, collage, mixed media. 36 x 36 x 1 1/2 in.