We’re kicking off Black History Month in Wandsworth with a powerful photo exhibition from celebrated artist Kay Rufai. We caught up with him to find out more.
Hey Kay, tell us who you are and what you do.
My name is Kay Rufai. I am a British-born Nigerian photographer, poet, filmmaker, author, mental health researcher, and founder of the internationally acclaimed S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys Project. I am also the first artist-in-residence for a police force in the UK.
My mission as an artist, more pertinently in this current political climate, is to use art as a powerful tool for social change.
My work spans the past eight years in Bhutan, Colombia, Ethiopia, Germany, Mexico, Nigeria, Scandinavia, the UK, and the USA.
What inspired you to create the S.M.I.L.E -ing Boys Project?
The S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys project was born out of a glaring need for a safe environment, not only for black boys to be provided with tools to explore and manage their mental health but also for them to be seen as human.
In 2018, the S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys project was a radical response to the one-dimensional stereotypical and racialised narratives surrounding black boys regarding knife crime, youth violence and gangs. I wanted to create a counter-stereotypical set of visual portraits that posit black boys in all of their humanities – cheeky, child-like, playful, hopeful and smiley – as a direct contrast to the stoic and menacing images proliferated in the media about them.
What can people expect from your exhibition at Southside for Black History Month?
People can expect a visual radiance of Black boy joy, lots of colour, interaction, and an opportunity for community dialogue with strangers.
This year’s theme for Black History Month is ‘Reclaiming Narratives’, what does that mean to you?
This resonates so powerfully with my S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys mission to reclaim the narratives about Black boys while forging forth a new and representative one of them which centres their humanities.
What’s next for you?
We are currently expanding the programme in the United States and piloting the S.M.I.L.E-ing Girls programme. These are the next stages of our growth, so watch this space.
What’s your favourite thing about Wandsworth Town?
The fact that it is really diverse in all facets, cultures, cuisines and creativity.
The S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys Project will be at Southside Shopping Centre from 1 to 31 October, on the upper mall.
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