Khadija Saye

Khadija Mohammadou Saye (30 July 1992 – 14 June 2017), also known as Ya-Haddy Sisi Saye,[1] was a Gambian-British photographer.[2][3] Her photography explored her Gambian-British identity and was exhibited in the Diaspora Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2017. Saye died in the Grenfell Tower fire.

Khadija Saye
Born(1992-07-30)30 July 1992
Hammersmith, London, England
Died14 June 2017(2017-06-14) (aged 24)
North Kensington, London, England
Cause of deathGrenfell Tower fire
Other namesYa-Haddy Sisi Saye
EducationRugby School
Alma materUniversity for the Creative Arts
OccupationArtist/Photographer
Known forPhotography and artwork
Websitesayephoto.format.com estateofkhadijasaye.com

Life and work

Saye was born in London and initially attended the Sion Manning Roman Catholic Girls' School in North Kensington.[4] At age 16 she won a scholarship to Rugby School in Rugby, England.[5] Later she attended the University for the Creative Arts at Farnham and obtained a photography degree.[6][7] She lived with her mother, Mary Ajaoi Augustus Mendy, on the 20th floor of Grenfell Tower in North Kensington.[1][5] She was mentored by artist Nicola Green and became friends with Green's husband, Tottenham MP David Lammy.[5][8]

Saye's photography explored her Gambian-British identity.[9] In 2017 her series of photographs entitled Dwellings: in this Space we Breathe, based on Gambian spiritual practices,[1] was exhibited in the Diaspora Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale.[6][10][11] The BBC had been planning to broadcast on 17 June a documentary TV programme, Venice Biennale: Sink or Swim, that included Saye. The programme "follows a team of diverse emerging artists as they install and prepare to launch the first ever Diaspora Pavilion in a Venetian palazzo during the Venice Biennale".[9] The programme was postponed after the fire[12] and transmitted in September 2017.

Saye was a passionate activist and educator, she volunteered at Jawaab to educate and empower young Muslims.[13]

Her work was part of the reopening show of Kettle's Yard in Cambridge on 10 February 2018. [14]

In 2018 Saye’s works were auctioned at Christie’s as part of the Post-War and Contemporary Day Auction. Nak Bejjen, one of the tintypes from the series Dwelling: in this space we breath was sold for £43,750. [15]

Between 2 October - 2 November 2019 a portfolio of nine silkscreen prints, titled In this space we breathe were exhibited at Victoria Miro Gallery. This was part of Rock My Soul, an exhibition of black female artists curated by the artist Isaac Julien. [16]

In 2019, the London Transport Museum launched a photography fellowship program in Saye's name.[17]

A paid internship at PEER has been set up in Saye’s name for young BAME artists[18]. Saye worked at PEER as a Creative Access intern from 2015 -16.[19]

In July 2020 The Khadija Saye IntoArts Programme was launched by IntoUniversity and Nicola Green.  The programme addresses the issue of BAME inclusivity in the creative industries by focusing directly on the barriers that exist to young people from disadvantaged communities. It provides support and mentoring to help young people to explore the Arts. The launch of the Khadija Saye IntoArts coincided with the unveiling of Breath is Invisible, Nine large-scale prints of Saye’s series in this space we breath were displayed across the outside façade of 236 Westbourne Grove in West London. This was the first of three exhibitions to run at the space, all of which aim to explore social inequality and injustice.[20][21][22]

Death

Both Saye and her mother died in the Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017.[6][23][24] Following her death, Tate Britain announced that it would exhibit a silkscreen of one of the pieces from the Dwellings series, Sothiou (2017), in the memorials section.[25]

gollark: Well, in that case, you can just remind yourself that they do not actually exist.
gollark: ... how?
gollark: Immune to what?
gollark: Ugh, so demanding.
gollark: 0.00003 guys in the room?

References
  1. "London fire: Who are the victims?". BBC News. 19 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  2. Movahedi, Sanaz (17 June 2017). "Among the victims, my kind, funny friend Khadija Saye, and her mum". The Observer. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  3. Berrington, Katie (19 June 2017). "Remembering Artist Khadija Saye". Vogue. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  4. "Khadija Saye (St 08-10)". Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  5. Smyth, Diane (20 June 2017). "Obituary: Khadija Saye, fast-rising artist killed tragically young in Grenfell Tower". British Journal of Photography. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  6. Topping, Alexandra (17 June 2017). "Khadija Saye: artist on cusp of recognition when she died in Grenfell". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  7. "Artist Khadija Saye confirmed as victim of Grenfell Tower fire" A-N, 16 June 2017. Accessed 23 June 2017
  8. Sommers, Jack (16 June 2017). "David Lammy Fights Back Tears Describing Khadija Saye, Who Died In Grenfell Tower Fire". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  9. "Venice Biennale: Sink or Swim" BBC Two. Accessed 29 June 2017
  10. Shaw, Annie (19 June 2017). "In pictures: the 'remarkable, powerful' works of Khadija Saye who died in Grenfell Tower blaze". The Art Newspaper. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  11. Brinkhurst-Cuff, Charlie (20 June 2017). "Celebrating the art of Khadija Saye, a Grenfell fire victim". Dazed. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  12. Grafton-Green, Patrick (17 June 2017). "BBC pulls documentary featuring Grenfell Tower fire victim". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  13. "One year on from Grenfell – we celebrate the real Khadija Saye". Jawaab. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  14. Brown, Mark (4 December 2017). "Works by artist who died in Grenfell fire to be shown at Cambridge gallery". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  15. Brady, Anna (20 September 2019). "Grenfell victim Khadija Saye's salvaged images to be sold for charity at Victoria Miro". www.theartnewspaper.com. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  16. Brady, Anna (20 September 2019). "Grenfell victim Khadija Saye's salvaged images to be sold for charity at Victoria Miro". The Art Newspaper. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  17. "Photography fellowship launched in memory of Khadija Saye | Museums Association". www.museumsassociation.org. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  18. "Khadija Saye 1992-2017". PEER. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  19. Movahedi, Sanaz (17 June 2017). "Among the victims, my kind, funny friend Khadija Saye, and her mum". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  20. Edmonds, Lizzie (2020-07-07). "Khadija Saye artworks on display in outdoor Notting Hill exhibition". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  21. Shaw, Anny. "'Tender, gentle and creative soul': outdoor exhibition in west London pays tribute to artist Khadija Saye who died in Grenfell fire". www.theartnewspaper.com. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  22. Arts, Lanre Bakare; correspondent, culture (2020-07-07). "Art project launched in honour of Grenfell artist Khadija Saye". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  23. Woodcock, Andrew (17 June 2017). "Grenfell Tower fire: 24-year-old artist Khadija Saye named as victim". The Independent. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  24. "Five-year-old Grenfell fire victim died after his hand slipped from his neighbour's grasp as they tried to escape". Daily Telegraph. 26 June 2017.
  25. Sulcas, Roslyn (20 June 2017). "Art of a Grenfell Tower Fire Victim Is Shown by the Tate". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
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