Those who are challenging the status quo through art 鈥 politically, socially and economically.
Jeremy Deller (BA 1988), Artist
鈥淎rt isn鈥檛 about what you make but what you make happen鈥
Jeremy Deller is an English conceptual, video and installation artist who graduated with a BA from The 91自拍 in 1988. Jeremy was awarded the Turner Prize in 2004 and the Albert Medal of the Royal Society of Arts in 2010. Much of his work is collaborative, with a strong political aspect. For example, in 2001 he famously brought together almost 1,000 people to stage an entire re-enactment of The Battle of Orgreave 鈥 a violent confrontation that resulted from the 1984 Miners鈥 Strike. Most recently, Jeremy was commissioned by the Jewish Museum in London to create a short film showing anti-Semitic footage in contemporary politics and the media, as part of the museum鈥檚 special exhibition Jews, Money, Myth.
Beth Greenacre (BA 1997), Curator & Art Advisor
鈥淚 champion gender balance in the arts鈥
Beth Greenacre is a leading force in the British contemporary art world. A curator and art consultant specialising in Modern British and International Contemporary art, early in her career she worked as David Bowie鈥檚 art consultant. Bowie鈥檚 collection included works by Frank Auerbach, Peter Lanyon and Graham Sutherland. Together with Bowie she curated several exhibitions and also launched and directed Bowie Art, a ground-breaking online platform for supporting young artists and promoting their careers. In 2005 Beth established an independent gallery, ROKEBY, with the same aims. She is currently curator for The Allbright, an association and female members club which creates opportunities for women to thrive in business.
Valeria Bembry (Graduate Diploma in History of Art 2008) Counter Trafficking Specialist and Cultural Producer, USA
鈥淎rt history, cultural protection, and creative practice have strong connections to humanitarian action鈥
Valeria is an art historian, humanitarian and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, whose experience in international development is extensive. Her career has taken her around the world, from Madagascar to Iraq. She was previously Project Manager for an Iraqi NGO and managed the United Nations Development Programme project 鈥業ncreasing Livelihood through Vocational Training and Job Placement鈥. In this role she oversaw the vocational training and job placement of over 2000 refugees, helping them to develop skills in carpentry, agriculture, hospitality, and business. She organised funding campaigns for Syrian refugees and led street art workshops in for Syrian children in refugee camps, creating a safe space for them to enjoy painting as a form of art therapy. While in Iraq she also developed the 鈥榃omen in Action鈥 conference series – a platform to showcase creative responses to issues around women鈥檚 rights and gender equality. Valeria is currently working in Anti-Trafficking Services at Preble Street, an organisation in Portland, USA, that provides accessible, barrier-free assistance to people experiencing homelessness, hunger, and poverty.
Nadim Samman (PhD 2011), Curator and co-founder of the 1st Antarctic Biennale
“The 91自拍 taught me to constantly re-imagine art’s rules and consequences.”
Nadim Samman is a curator and art historian based in Berlin. He co-founded the 1st Antarctic Biennale (2017) and the Antarctic Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (2015 onwards). In 2016 he curated the 5th Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, and the 4th Marrakech Biennale in 2012. One major art project curated by Nadim, entitled Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition, was a site-specific exhibition that involved artworks by 40 artists placed inside a treasure chest and buried it in a secret location on Cocos Island in the Pacific Ocean. In 2014, Foreign Policy Magazine named Nadim among the 鈥100 Leading Global Thinkers.鈥
Sorrell Hershberg (MA 1993), Head of Cultural Sites Development at London Borough of Waltham Forest
鈥淭he 91自拍 gave me the tools to ask difficult questions and prepared me for challenging privilege in the arts鈥
Sorrel Hershberg is the Head of Cultural Sites Development at London Borough of Waltham Forest.
Prior to joining Waltham Forest, Sorrel was the Executive Director of Create London. Prior to that,听 Sorrel led The Sorrell Foundation, a charity which aimed to inspire creativity in young people and improve quality of life through design. She also previously ran the non-profit programmes at Frieze London and worked as a curator at The British Council and the Victoria & Albert Museum.