Supported by Yasha Young (Urban Nation), Curated by Olly Walker
3 FEBRUARY – 6 MARCH 2016
London, UK – On 3rd February 2016, the Saatchi Gallery will open XX: A Moment in Time in the Prints & Originals Gallery.
XX is an exhibition of new works by contemporary female street & graffiti artists. The show will consist of new works by a selection of emerging and established artists from around the globe. This will be the first time that some of the artists will have been exhibited in the UK. The exhibition will run alongside the major exhibition of contemporary art by female artists, Champagne Life.
XX showcases a spectrum of artistic talent and seeks to inspire future generations of women artists. Although the disparity between the number of women artists, and their profile, compared to male artists has reduced, a gap still exists. Women remain under-represented within the contemporary street art genre. This might be partly explained by the origins of the genre in territorial mark-making and the routine avoidance of the authorities. However, fundamentally, there are no reasons why any form of contemporary expression should be dominated by one sex or the other. When this domination occurs the great danger is that society does not benefit from the ideas, concepts and perspectives of half the population.
“The women exhibited here are pioneers within the world of street art; newcomers that have made their mark in countries all over the world and artists that have become part of the new urban contemporary movement.” – Yasha Young (Urban Nation)
The artists featured in the exhibition include Aiko (Japan/USA), Alice Pasquini (Italy), Caratoes (Belgium/Hong Kong), Martha Cooper (USA), Crajes (Spain), Elle (USA), Faith47 (South Africa), Handiedan (Netherlands), Hera (Germany), Hueman (USA), Lora Zombie (Russia), Madamoiselle Maurice (France), Marina Zumi (Argentina), Mimi S (Germany), Miss Van (France), Olek (Poland), Sandra Chevrier (Canada), Vexta (Australia) and Zabou (France).
Yasha Young
Yasha Young is the director and curator of URBAN NATION. Her creative vision is catalyst to the creation and evolvement of the two internationally renowned Project M/ and OneWall series which has been featuring over 150 of the genre’s most influential and visionary urban artists from all over the world . As former gallery owner, curator and producer, Young is deeply involved in the international urban arts sphere and beyond.
Olly Walker
OllyStudio, founded by Olly Walker, has cultivated a reputation for curating strong shows and artistic collaborations for a range of clients. In addition to the curation of a number of high profile gallery shows in London and Berlin, Olly has collaborated with brands such as Levi’s Vintage Clothing, Converse, Orange and artists like Vhils, JR, Nick Walker, Paul Insect, Ben Turnbull, Mode 2, Ben Eine, D-Face, WK Interact and Alexander McQueen. Ollystudio has designed books for some of the best artists in the world and worked with influential galleries such as Saatchi Gallery, Urban Nation and Lazarides.
About the Saatchi Gallery
The Saatchi Gallery was founded in 1985 to provide a platform to bring contemporary art to as wide an audience as possible and make it accessible. Over the last five years the Saatchi Gallery has hosted 15 out of the 20 most visited exhibitions in London, according to The Art Newspaper’s survey of international museum attendance, and is also ranked amongst the world’s top five most liked museums on Facebook and Twitter by Museum Analytics. Entry to all exhibitions at the Saatchi Gallery is free.