Tyburn Foundation is a not-for-profit visual arts organisation, working internationally to contribute to a vibrant and diverse African art ecosystem founded by Emma Menell. She is a Global Patron of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art, continuing her commitment to supporting and elevating contemporary African art on the global stage. She later became a founding director of Goodman Gallery London in 2019, collaborating with leading African and diaspora artists.
A.S: What inspired you to create the Tyburn Foundation, and what mission did you have in mind when you came up with it?
E.M: I founded Tyburn Gallery in London in 2015 to offer an international platform for early and mid career African artists. The gallery earned the reputation as a nurturing incubator for artists from the continent, creating a unique space for the African artistic and intellectual community in central London. At the Gallery we experienced first-hand the challenges of the commercial artworld for early career artists. The pressures of the market are intense and it is not necessarily the best place for artists, especially early career ones, to experiment and develop their practices.
The foundation grew out of our frustration with the constraints of the commercial art space. We wanted to work towards a more dedicated, tailored and slow-paced engagement with artists than is possible in a commercial context.
Image courtesy of Tyburn Foundation
A.S: How do you think the Tyburn Foundation is different from other residencies?
E.M: As the foundation grew out of our experience in the commercial space, we understand the commercial pressures artists face and can guide early career artists to navigate these challenges. We are committed to working internationally and cross culturally. Collaboration and partnerships are central to our ethos. Tyburn Foundation partners with Civitella Ranieri, an international multi-disciplinary residency program, located in a 15th -century castle in Umbria, Italy, where we will sponsor one or two artists from Africa for a six week fully funded residency in the castle. We have a collaborative joint project with the Animal Farm Residency in Zimbabwe where we will support two early career artists annually and also host an annual residency in our dedicated space in Umbria, Italy.
A.S: How do the artists benefit beyond studio space and funding in the residency?
E.M: Our commitment to participating artists goes beyond the residency period. The Foundation works to champion artists long-term to continue their creative journeys well beyond the residency and contribute meaningfully to society, including an exhibition programme to give artists international visibility.
A.S: So how do you pick the artists for the programme?
E.M: Our Advisory Board, which includes artists, curators and our residency partners, will select the artists for our programme.
A.S: I was wondering how you build on collaborations? Would you say collaboration is key?
E.M: Collaboration and partnerships are central to our ethos as we believe this to be in the best interests of the artists with whom we work.
A.S: If you had different collaborators, would it be by country, by industry, or by job description? How would you collaborate with others?
E.M: We seek to collaborate broadly with other residency programmes as well as artist-led initiatives on the continent and galleries representing the artists with whom we are working. We seek to work with a wide range of partners across the continent as we believe this best supports the African art ecosystem.
A.S: I definitely agree. What advice would you give to an artist who wants to apply for your residency?
E.M: Our Advisory Board members will propose artists and selection will be made according to criteria including artistic merit and demonstrated commitment to their practices.
A.S: What criteria do you think the advisory board uses for selecting artists?
E.M: The Board will be focused on which artists demonstrate the greatest artistic merit and who will most benefit from the opportunity to take their practices forward. The Board will look at promise and commitment from artists to grow and develop in a competitive and demanding space.
A.S: Very clear but tough and hard to be in.
E.M: Being an internationally successful artist demands great drive, talent and commitment. There is a wealth of exceptional creative talent in Africa as was amply demonstrated at Venice last year with the pavilions of Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Benin and others and African artists will continue to increase dramatically in global visibility and importance.
A.S: The long-term vision of the Tyburn Foundation, how do you see it shaping the future of contemporary art in Africa?
E.M: Our big commitment is to support the art of the African art ecosystem by providing artists from the continent with a platform for growth and visibility through an international network of residencies and exhibitions. Working with artists for many years, we saw that the art market, while crucial for visibility and sales, demands rapid production and immediate results, which limits the time and space artists need to develop their ideas. The Foundation aims to address this gap, offering long-term support and an environment where artists can focus on meaningful, sustainable contributions to society. Through collaboration and creative dialogue we will work to create more avenues from the continent to shine on a global stage.
The Tyburn Foundation is launching their residency programme in Spring 2025, to promote artistic exchange and collaboration between African and global institutions. For more information, email info@tyburnfoundation.org and www.tyburnfoundation.org.
