Kione Grandison is a multi-disciplinary artist based in West London, UK. Her practise is strongly informed by her Jamaican German British identity as a person of mixed heritage who grew up in London.
Through her work Grandison explores ideas of identity, the black beauty industry and the significance of hair within it. Hair being a hugely political and culturally significant element of black identity, this exploration into African hair styling through her mixed media work, began as a self-exploration. A way of connecting with her own ‘roots’ and understanding her hairs importance. Especially in a time of ‘Cultural appropriation’ she feels that it is necessary for diasporic youth to understand how much power and history their hair holds.
Alongside her fine art practise Grandison is a self-taught nail artist. Having developed her nail career working at renowned nail bar WAH nails she is now a successful freelancer, having worked on editorial shoots and music videos with artists such as Ray BLK, Lion Babe and Lady Leshurr and with brands such as Nike. Grandison has always seen nail art as a creative and expressive outlet which can be directly linked to her artistic practice.
Similarly to hair, nail art is a popular tool for self-expression within diasporic African and Caribbean communities. Grandison is interested in how adornment practices have evolved through time and through the forced displacement of African people. She uses beauty imagery from both past and present to weave together these interests through her paintings, mixed- media collage, sculpture and hand-painted clothing pieces. Through her cutting and pasting together of references, Grandison sees her creative process as similar to the type of beautifying that happens within black beauty salon spaces. Her time spent sitting all day in Port Antonio Jamaica hair salon’s having her hair braided, Jamaican street art, as well as her time spent in Nigeria and Accra Ghana, and seeing traditional barbershop imagery first hand, have also had great influence.
In the same year as graduating from Wimbledon College of Arts with a BA in Fine Art, Grandison was one of the recipients of the Woon Foundation Art Prize in 2017. She has since been commissioned for public artworks across Europe and the Caribbean, with mural works in Paris, Jamaica and London.
EDUCATION
2014 - 2017
Wimbledon College of Arts (UAL) - BA Fine Art: Painting
2012 -2014
Hampstead Fine Arts College, London
EXHIBITIONS
Sept 2019- ‘AKRA’- Collaborative show
Htown studio, London
Aug 2019- ‘The Hair Appointment’- Group show
Peckham Palms, London
Feb 2019- ‘CWDT’- Group show
Five Miles, Tottenham, London
June 2017- ‘The Woon prize’- Group show
Baltic 39, Newcastle upon Tyne
June 2017- Wimbledon BA degree show- Group show
Wimbledon College of arts, London
March 2017- ‘108 Nails’- Group show
Copeland gallery, Peckham, London
COMMISSIONS
July 2019- Nataal magazine- COLLAGED HAIR STORY collaborative editorial commission- Collaged and creative directed ‘When Dry Style as Required’ editorial
Feb 2019- Mixpaak Records- SINGLE COVER artwork commission
Single cover artwork for Afro B, Vybz Kartel and Dre Skulls ‘Shape Nice’ single
Aug 2018- Yeezy- PUBLIC ARTWORK commission
Two public artworks painted for the launch of new Yeezy collection. Yvette’s bar, Delroy’s Barbershop, Port Antonio, Jamaica
June 2018- Savage- HEADPIECE commission
Created headpieces to be worn in Rihanna’s ‘Savage’ underwear campaign
June 2018- My 2cents- PUBLIC ARTWORK commission
Table triptych painted for the restaurant, Pico blvd, Los Angeles
Jan 2018- Man About Town magazine 10th anniversary edition- WEARABLE ART commission- Painted wearable pieces commissioned for editorial shoot
Nov 2017- K Swiss- PUBLIC ARTWORK commission
Mural on exterior of music recording studio, Buzwaak records, Ferndale rd Brixton
Apr 2017- Jah Jah Le Tricycle- PUBLIC ARTWORK commission
Mural painted inside of restaurant, Paris, France
March 2017- Fades n Blades
Painting commissions to be hung on barbershop wall, London
July 2016- Yvette’s Bar- PUBLIC ARTWORK commission
Painted exterior of bar, Port Antonio, Jamaica
Nov 2014- Pum Pum socks- FLYER
Designed the brands launch invite artwork, London
Sept 2014- Stella McCartney- LIVE PAINTING at event
One of five artists chosen to live paint the ‘green carpet collection’ during a VIP event, London
PRESS
Sept 2019- All the Pretty Birds- ONLINE PUBLICATION
Article and interview about my work and inspiration (https://www.alltheprettybirds.com/meeting-kione-grandison/)
Sept 2019- Elle magazine- ONLINE PUBLICATION
(https://www.elle.com/uk/beauty/hair/g28717567/artists-celebrating-power-of-black-hair/)
Dec 2018-Infringe magazine- IN PRINT
A collage of mine used to illustrate a panel discussion titled ‘The art and politics of Black hair’
Nov 2018- Klass of K Swiss zine- IN PRINT
Three page spread interview about my Brixton mural project and influences
March 2018- Hairs How Russia magazine- IN PRINT
Three page spread interview about my work and influences
Aug 2017- Infringe magazine online- ONLINE PUBLICATION
Interview about my work (https://www.infringe.com/kione-grandison/)
Jan 2017- The Fader online- ONLINE PUBLICATION
(http://www.thefader.com/2017/01/31/instagram-braiders-hair-shani-crowe-nikki-nelms)
Oct 2016- ThandieKay.com- ONLINE PUBLICATION
Interview about myself and my work (http://thandiekay.com/2016/10/21/oyin-akande-talks-young- artist-kione-grandison)
July 2016- True Africa online- ONLINE PUBLICATION
Interview about my work and influences (http://trueafrica.co/article/this-artist-takes-inspo-from- black-barbershops-to-wangechi-mutu/)
June 2016- Born n Bred zine Issue 3- IN PRINT
Feature and interview about my work
PRIZES
2017 Woon Foundation Painting and Sculpture prize- (Awarded 3rd place)
COLLECTIONS
Work in ownership of several private collections