Mohammed Ali is an educator and curator and driven by a shared commitment to transform society. Art meets faith, identity and social change in his work, which adorns walls and public spaces and continues to change the visual landscapes of the cities we live in. His art has inspired and informed a new generation across the globe to boldly express their identity and ideals. He isa pioneer in the street-art movement, fusing street art with Islamic script and patterns, delivering powerful and moving messages. Ali’s ethos of ‘taking art to the people’ also combines street art with live performances, installations, digital projections and moving soundscapes. From street canvases in New York, Amsterdam, London and Melbourne to intimate performances in the Vatican, Ali uses his art and collaborations with critically acclaimed musicians and poets to produce unique immersive experiences. In 2008 he established Soul City Arts, a global arts movement bringing together artists, activists and communities. He has been commissioned by international NGOs, corporations and charities.Mohamed’s videography illustrates Rafeef’s poem on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Instgram: aliaerosol / Twitter: @AliAerosol
Rosalind Alp is a contemporary artist working in different mediums from illustrating to sculpture, as she believes they offer a variety of ways to tell a story. Fantasy and playful humour are at the heart of all of her work, however challenging the subject matter. Born in England, Rosalind has lived most of her life in West Africa and The Netherlands, where she currently lives and works from her home studio. Rosalind’s artwork illustrates Aminatta Forna’s story on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
David Blight studied theatre design at Wimbledon College of Art and over the decades has designed various plays, musicals, operas and ballets for The National Theatre, English National Opera (ENO) and the Royal Opera House, as well as for smaller and regional theatres in the UK and abroad. David has designed twelve world premieres of new operas; two of his costumes for the opera Greek (staged at the ENO/shown on BBC 1) are on display at the V&A as part of their theatre exhibition. In 2007 he was nominated for a BAFTA for his design work on the eighteenth-century drama A Harlot’s Progress based on Hogarth’s prints, which was produced by Channel 4. David’s artwork illustrates Helen Mort’s poem and Shagufta Sharmeen Tania’s story in the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Danielle Boodoo-Fortuné is a poet and visual artist from Trinidad and Tobago. Her poetry has been featured in publications such as Poetry London, The Rialto, Prairie Schooner, POETRY, Small Axe, Bim: Arts for the 21st Century and The Asian American Literary Review, as well as in anthologies such as Coming Up Hot: Eight Poets from the Caribbean and Thicker than Water, both published by Peekash Press. Danielle was named winner of the 2013 Small Axe Literary Competition, the 2015 Hollick-Arvon Caribbean Writers’ Prize and the 2016 Wasafiri New Writing Prize. Her first collection of poems, Doe Songs (Peepal Tree Press, 2018) was awarded the 2019 Bocas OCM Prize in Poetry. Danielle’s artwork illustrates Richard Georges’ poem on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Becky Bryson has been a practising artist for the last twenty years. She has worked across the UK, from Dunblane to Devon, and internationally in Hong Kong, Norway, Australia, Ireland and Portugal. Becky specialises in large-scale makes for outdoor events. She is an associate artist with world-renowned companies such as The Lantern Company and Walk the Plank, and has been commissioned on projects for Tate Liverpool, Netflix and Chester Zoo, to name but a few. Her illustration work has been used many times to illustrate conferences, events and marketing for organisations, includingthe NHS, the Environment Agency and the Ministry of Defence. Becky’s artwork illustrates Ashleigh Nugent’s poem on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Jon Daniel was a British-born, award-winning creative of African-Caribbean heritage who lived in south London. Classically trained as a graphic designer, Jon worked primarily as an art director for many of London’s leading advertising agencies, in a career spanning over twenty-five years. He then worked independently on both commercial and personal projects. As one of the most prominent and recognised black creatives of his generation, Jon was a strong advocate for the promotion of the rich historical legacy of African diaspora people. And when relevant, he took every opportunity to ensure that the ingenuity and innovation of works by people of African diaspora heritage were rightfully recognised by the art, design and visual communications establishment. Jon worked with Speaking Volumes to create the iconic designs for their two Breaking Ground brochures, a design which has been continued by his graphic designer wife Jane Daniel in the Breaking New Ground brochure. Jon’s artwork illustrates E. Ethelbert Miller’s poem on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Ria Dastidar, aka Uberpup, works as an illustrator & designer in London. Her commercial work ranges across animation, print and product design for clients such as British Airways, WH Smith and the BBC. Her illustration is characterised by a playful sense of humour, use of bold colour, collage and patterns— all underpinned by digital experimentation. Ria’s artwork illustrates Rishi Dastidar’s poem on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Jazz Dunn is a Chicago-raised digital & traditional illustrator, concept artist, storyboard artist & student at Columbia College, Chicago. He works with traditional techniques & practices of art – pen and ink, watercolour painting, pencil illustrations – which he often also combines with digital software (eg Photoshop, Clips Studios and Procreate). Jazz studies the idiosyncrasies of the human form and anatomy, often exaggerating and experimenting with the fundamentals to give his work and extra flare. He uses photo references to create breathable and liveable environments & backgrounds, adding character and life to his art, or draws inspiration from his favourite artists. Jazz has worked with the Art Institute of Chicago, and many small Chicago-based art organisations. Jazz’s artwork, his first international commission, illustrates Fergal Harte’s story in the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
@JazzDunn2
London based illustrator Karl Frankson has been working digitally using Adobe Photoshop for over eight years, practicing portraiture, landscapes and stylised illustrations. He uses a Wacom Intuos tablet to digitally paint a broad range of subjects, incorporating innovative techniques using programs such as Cinema 4D. Karl’s traditional practice with ink, pencils and acrylics have fed into these processes, while his inspiration often draws on spiritual and esoteric themes. His affinity for the natural world and experience of the human figure enable him to visualise and create a seamless fusion between people and landscapes, to create an atmosphere and form unintended narratives. Karl’s artwork illustrates Leone Ross’ story on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
uk.linkedin.com/in/karl-frankson-5543b598
Growing up in Cape Town led Joe Hughes to his first supporting role in the feature film Felix, where he had the privilege of sharing the screen with Dame Janet Suzman. After this Joe moved to the UK to begin his training at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. Afterwards he went on to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe with One Word Productions’ production of The Promise. He then returned to training at LAMDA and graduated in 2019. Joe reads the part of Tom, the Purser, in Gabriel Gbadamosi’s play extract on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Adelaide Ivánova was born in Recife in Brazil and is a journalist and political activist working with poetry, photography, performance, translation and publishing. Her poems have been translated into German, Galician, English, Spanish, Greek and Italian. Her texts and photographic work were printed in publications such as The Huffington Post (USA), Marie Claire (BR) and Modern Poetry in Translation (UK) among others. Her photo reportage is part of the collection of Kunst Museum Dieselkraftwerk (Germany), L’arthotèque –Museum of Fine Arts (France) and Galeria Murilo Castro (Brazil). In 2018 her poetry book o martelo won the Rio Literature Award. She edits the anti-capitalist poetry zine MAIS NORDESTE, PVFR! with leftist poets from the north-east of Brazil. Adelaide lives in Berlin, where she tries to earn a living as babysitter, life model, waitress and other alienating jobs. Adelaide’s photographs illustrate Joshua Idehen’s poem on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Photo by Pedro Pinho
Phill Jupitus is currently studying at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee. He has been making visual art on a semi-professional basis since 1984 but still hasn’t quite got it right, hence the decision to finally go to art school. He likes the drawing work of Frank Hampson, Laurie Lipton and Ian Dury, and his favourite pencil is the Palomino Blackwing. Phill’s artwork illustrates Tim Wells’ poems on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
offthekerb.com/artist/phill-jupitus
Born and brought up in Trinidad, Dominique Le Gendre trained as a classical guitarist in Paris, France while studying Musicology at the Sorbonne. London-based for over thirty years, she has composed extensively for theatre, dance, television and award-winning indie films and radio drama for BBC Radio 3 and 4. A former Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House, her chamber works and operas have been commissioned and performed by numerous UK and international ensembles, including Royal Opera House soloists, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Manning Camerata, the Ibis Ensemble, Metamorphosis Dance and Calabash Foundation for the Arts. Dominique is the Artistic Director of the arts charity, StrongBack Productions. Dominique’s new piece of music was specially commissioned for the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
http://www.dominiquelegendre.com / http://www.strongbackproductions.com
Jim Mortram lives near Dereham, a small town in Norfolk. Dereham is no different from thousands of other communities throughout Britain, where increasing numbers of people struggle to survive at a time of welfare cuts and failing health services. For over a decade, Jim has been photographing the lives of people in his community who, through physical and mental problems and a failing social security system, face isolation and loneliness in their daily lives. His work covers difficult subjects such as disability, addiction and self-harm, but is always with hope and dignity, focusing upon the strength and resilience of the people he photographs. Jim’s photos illustrate Jamie Thrasivoulou’s poem on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
smalltowninertia.co.uk/
Danny Nutt is an actor who trained at Rose Bruford drama school. His TV work includes: Call The Midwife, Doctors, The Bill, Casualty, The Infinite Worlds Of HG Wells, I’m Alan Partridge, Family Affairs, Holby City, Eastenders, Keen Eddie, Footballer’s Wives and London’s Burning. His film work includes: Captain Phillips, The Trench and Velvet Goldmine.Theatre includes: Philistines (NT), Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? (Citizen’s Glasgow), Still Life (The Drum), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, To Kill A Mockingbird and Master Harold and The Boys (Leicester Haymarket), Bad Blood (No. 1 tour), Romeo and Juliet (Creation), The Rivals (Compass), Equus (Salisbury Playhouse), Body Language, Knights In Plastic Armour and House & Garden (Stephen Joseph, Scarborough) and Lord of The Flies (Pilot Theatre). Danny reads the part of Mr Jones, the Surgeon, in Gabriel Gbadamosi’s play extract on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Owen Oakeshott is an experienced actor. His theatre work includes: An Inspector Calls (Playhouse Theatre); Witness for the Prosecution (County Hall); The Iceman Cometh (Almeida Theatre); Anthony and Cleopatra, Timon of Athens, The General from America, Henry VI parts 1, 2 and 3 and Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company); Copenhagen (Royal Lyceum); Roots (Manchester Royal Exchange); Anthony and Cleopatra (Nuffield Theatre); Market Boy, The Royal Hunt of the Sun (National Theatre); A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, Wars of the Roses (Rose Theatre Kingston); Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Guildford Shakespeare Company). His television appearances include: Spooks; In the Name of Love; Armadillo; The Professionals; Bad Girls; The Bill; Birds of a Feather; Family Affairs; Dream Team; You, Me & Them; Doctors and Outlander.He has appeared in the films She’s Gone and The Upside of Anger among others. Owen reads the part of John Knox, the Captain, in Gabriel Gbadamosi’s play extract on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
owenoakeshott.com/
Rex Obano was born in London and trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art where he was awarded the 1995 Laurence Olivier Bursary. His theatre work includes: Festen, To Kill A Mockingbird (Theatre Clwyd); The Emperor Jones (National Theatre); Hamlet, Cymbeline, The Spanish Tragedy, More Words (Royal Shakespeare Company); Our Country’s Good (Watermill Theatre, Newbury); African Snow (York Theatre Royal, Trafalgar Studios and tour); The Tempest (New Wolsey, Ipswich); The Wizard of Oz, To Kill a Mockingbird (Leicester Haymarket); The Beggars Opera, Flyin’ West (Orange Tree Theatre); Hamlet, Twelfth Night (Merlin International Theatre, Budapest); Macbeth (Ludlow Festival). His television and film include: Moses Jones, Jack Brown and the Curse of the Crown, On the 8-Ball, Tales of The Underground, The Bill, Whacked! and Angell’s Hell; and opera includes Down by the Greenwoodside (Three Mills Island). Rex reads the part of Mr Palmer, the Bosun, in Gabriel Gbadamosi’s play extract on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Daria Oks is a Ukrainian illustrator and animator currently living and working in Poland, who has worked with author Gaele Sobott on previous animations. Daria’s artwork illustrates Gaele’s story in the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
dariaa-oks.tumblr.com / vimeo.com/dariaoks
Efea Rutlin is a dreamer. She has designed and illustrated for the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants’ ‘Work it Out’ Campaign and the Black Gold Arts 2020 festival, and is a regular contributor No Borders Manchester. Efea completed an undergraduate degree in politics before realising that an MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies might be more up her street. She’s hoping this will allow her to combine ideas about identity, representation and community with a holistic and creative embodiment of those values. She always wants to learn more, past, present, future and who we are throughout it. Efea’s artwork illustrates Cheryl Martin’s poem in the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Instagram: @wip_efea
Monkeys vs Robots Ltd is the studio alias of freelance designer & illustrator Derren Toussaint. A north Londoner based in Spain, Derren has a love of graphic novels, movies and their posters, and is hugely influenced by the design and cultural aesthetics of the Neo-, Retro- and Afro- Futurist movements. He works with clients of all shapes and sizes, handling projects ranging from editorial commissions, album and book covers to game concept art, creating artwork on subjects like sports, fashion, food and drink, music and tech, all with a liberal dash of Caribbean colours. Derren’s artwork illustrates Francesca Beard’s poem in the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
Carielyn Tunion is a multimedia artist, content producer and cultural worker, working from a decolonial perspective to promote the social & holistic well being of marginalised peoples and communities. Drawing on her background in video and screen production, Carielyn uses video poetry to explore the impacts of colonialism, intergenerational trauma and recovery. She also dabbles in writing, illustration, pin-making and works as a professional arts model. Carielyn occupies space as an immigrant-settler woman of colour in the matrix of coloniality – and identifies as a Tagalog daughter of the archipelago beyond the gender binary. She currently lives on unceded Darkinjung country. Carielyn’s videography illustrates Michelle Cahill’s poem on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
http://www.aliencry.com / http://www.instagram.com/carielyn.btl
Achim Wagner was born in Coburg, Germany, in 1967. He lives in Berlinand is a poet, translator and photographer. In 2014, Nika Publishing in Ankara issued two volumes of photo reportage: Şiir Sokakta [Poem In the Street], which depicts poetry as a street art and protest form, and Gezi’den Soma’ya Hayat Sokakta [From Gezi to Soma -Life in the Street], which sheds light on the protest years of 2013-2014 in Turkey. Achim has had solo exhibitions at Middle East Technical University (Ankara, 2012), the Goethe-Institut Ankara (2015) Cappadocia Vocational School, Mustafapaşa Campus (2015), Town Hall of Steglitz, Berlin (2016), Bilkent University, Ankara (2017) and NoVilla, Berlin (2019). Achim’s photographs illustrate John Mateer’s poem on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.
https://rengawmihca.wordpress.com/photography-books/
Photo by Nujoom Alghanem
Sarah Ushurhe is an artist, illustrator and writer. In 2018, her graphic novel-in-progress was shortlisted for both the Laydeez Do Comics Prize and Myriad First Graphic Novel Competition. In 2019, she was commissioned as part of the first round of BBC Arts, New Creatives for her art history moving image and narrative, which highlights the life of Fanny Eaton, a Pre-Raphaelite muse of mixed heritage. Fanny Eaton: The Forgotten Pre-Raphaelite Model aired in 2020 on BBC Four as part of the programme Get Animated! BBC Introducing Arts and also online as part of BBC Arts New Creatives series. Sarah’s artwork illustrates Maame Blue’s story on the Not Quite Right for Us digital tour.