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Djofray Makumbu in his studio. Photo by FRENCH+TYE.jpeg

Photo by FRENCH+TYE

Contact

Education

2014 – 2017 BA Fine Art, Goldsmiths University

2023 – ongoing Royal Academy Schools Programme 

Publications

2018 Afropunk Take over Britain, zine, 198 Gallery, London

Biography

Djofray Makumbu is a British Congolese artist born and based in East London. His work draws on his own personal experiences and those of the people close to him, and he often collaborates with friends and family.

 

Recent projects have focused on the shame and stigma of mental health difficulties and disability, the pressures and violence of inner-city life from the perspective of young people and the joy of music and dancing.

 

Djofray works predominantly in moving-image, bringing together different techniques combining stop-motion animation, video footage and hand drawn/painted elements which are sometimes presented alongside live performances or dance. Each element of the work is carefully self-made, from hand built sets and hand stitched garments for Claymation characters, to soundtracks that are developed closely with Djofray’s brother


Djofray graduated from the BA Fine Art programme at Goldsmiths in 2018 and was awarded the Alumno/SPACE Studio Bursary as a result of his degree show exhibition. In 2020, Djofray won a Goldsmiths Exhibitions Hub commission, in partnership with the London Community Video Archive, to make Hello Mr Officer, a moving image work that sees young Black men from across London share their experiences of being harassed by the police.

 

The work uses stop-motion, watercolour and rotoscope alongside archive material from The People’s Account (1987) by Ceddo Film Collective held in the LCVA archive. The work was exhibited at South London Gallery in 2021. In 2021, Djofray was awarded the LOEWE FOUNDATION / Studio Voltaire award and also undertook a Guest Projects digital residency with the Yinka Shonibare Foundation. 

Artist Talks / Workshops

2022 Animation Workshop x2, Studio Voltaire
2022  The University of zurich 
2022 Camberwell College of Arts (UAL)

2022 Studio 3 Arts

2022 LUX Moving Image

2021 South London Gallery

2021 Animation Workshop x2, SPACE

2021 Goldsmiths University of London Fine Art

2021 Youth Workshop, Craft Council

2020 Get Creative at Home Gallery

2020 Summer Craft, Craft Council

2020 Fine Art Week

2019 Djofray Makumbu Emotion Picture, Lambeth Black History Month

2018 Goldsmiths Summer School

Exhibitions

2020 Stay Home Exhibition, virtual exhibition, DIFFRNT
2019 (solo) Djofray Makumbu Emotion Picture, Brixton Tate Library, London
2019 The Black male is ________., Not Just Another Store, London
2019 Southwark Untold 2.0 with Pempeople, Tate Exchange, Tate Modern
2019 (solo) Smack Tacos X Djofray Makumbu Dream, Play Ground, London
2019 Art Jam, DIFFRNT, London
2019 The Art of Carnival 2
2019 (solo) Esperer, RAW Labs, London
2018 Open Studios 50th Anniversary, SPACE, London
2017 New Cross Frontline: Race + Class Revisited, Goldsmiths, London
2017 Goldsmiths Degree Show, London
2017, 2016 Lamefest, London

Screenings / Performances

2023 Cover, Somerset House 

2022 Cover, Studio 3 Art

2022 Hello Mr Officer, SPACE ILFORD

2021 Lonely Tears, Studio Voltaire, London
2021 Hello Mr Officer, South London Gallery, London
2019 Micro Acts 5, Artist Film Screening Hotel Elephant, London
2018 RSA FAN Film Night, Peckham Pelican, London

Awards / Residencies

2021 LOEWE FOUNDATION / Studio Voltaire Award
2021 Guest Projects Digital Residency
2021 Studio3Arts Black Art Matters
2020 London Community Film and Video Commission
2018 Goldsmiths Alumno / SPACE Studio Bursary

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