Wrapping, Nnena Kalu
Nnena Kalu’s colourful sculptures were created by layering and binding materials such as industrial plastic tubing, newspaper, foam, cling film, fabric and tape. Kalu constructed a series of large-scale sculptures which playfully wrap around the gallery, responding to the unique architecture of the Project Space.
Visitors were invited to experience Nnena’s energetic creative process, which was shared through a performance-like activation of the works during the initial few days of the exhibition.
Nnena Kalu is a studio artist at ActionSpace, a London based visual arts organisation that supports artists with learning disabilities.
About the artist
Nnena Kalu is a studio artist at ActionSpace, a London based visual arts organisation that supports artists with learning disabilities. Kalu has created extensive site-specific installations in public settings for Le Madmusee’s “Capharnaum” at Theatre de Liege in Belgium in 2016 and at Project Ability’s Trongate 103 Gallery for Glasgow International 2018. Her Glasgow installation was one of a-n’s recommended events for the Festival, “Kalu undoubtedly has an essence of Phyllida Barlow about her but Kalu’s ingenuity makes Barlow look demure and restrained in comparison – her colour pallette is riotous and the taped shapes crackle with surprising, boundless energy.”
ActionSpace is a London based visual arts organisation that supports artists with learning disabilities and creates innovative projects for people with learning disabilities to engage with the visual arts. ActionSpace’s work with high profile cultural organisations such as the Royal Academy of Arts, Camden Arts Centre, Outside In and Pallant House Gallery has helped to establish a place for artist with learning disabilities in the contemporary arts sector.
Past events
HIPI Hang Out Forum, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured
1:1 Advice Surgeries with Arts Council England
Model City, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran
Volunteer Community Support and Crisis Response
Installation view, 2020. Lucy Clout, ZZZ. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2020. © Jules Lister
Lucy Clout, ZZZ
Lucy, 2019. Aniara Omann, Equanipolis. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Equanipolis, Aniara Omann
Installation View. Mike S Redmond and Faye Coral Jones (MSR FCJ), Ecstatic Rituals.Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Ecstatic Rituals
IETM Hull © Tom Arran
Emerging Cultural Leaders Mobility Bursary 2019 - Information Event
PRS Foundation's New Music Biennial 2019, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran
PRS Foundation New Music Biennial 2019
Cut, Humber Street Gallery 2019. © James Mulkeen
Cut, Richard Houguez & Graham Jones
Candoco Dance Company © Hugo Glendinning
IETM Hull 2019 Plenary Meeting
Oh The Night! - imitating the dog. Urban Legends: Northern Lights, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran
Urban Legends: Northern Lights
Installation view. It Takes A Village. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2019. © James Mulkeen
It Takes a Village
Installation view. It Takes A Village. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2017 © Hull News & Pictures
States of Play
Installation View. Practice in Place. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists, 2020. © Jules Lister
Practice In Place
50 Queers for 50 Years Workshop © Chris Pepper
Creative Micro-Commission Programme
Nnena Kalu, Wrapping. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Wrapping, Nnena Kalu
Frances Disley, The Cucumber Fell in the Sand. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Frances Disley: The Cucumber Fell In The Sand
Installation View. Jade Montserrat, Instituting Care. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Jade Montserrat: Instituting Care
Ella Dorton, Journey to the Centre of the Couch (Couches & Other Good Ideas). Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Journey To The Centre Of The Couch (Couches & Other Good Ideas), Ella Dorton
Man On The Moon Keisha Thompson. IETM Hull 2019 © Keisha Thompson
IETM Hull 2019 Artistic Programme
Installation view. Measures of Life, The Lumen Prize for Digital Art. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2018. © Tom Arran
Measures of Life by The Lumen Prize for Digital Art
Installation view, 2020. Jamie Crewe, Solidarity & Love. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister.
Jamie Crewe, Solidarity & Love
HIPI Hang Out Forum, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured
Arts Council England under £15k Applications: Top Tips with Deb Ashby
Installation view, 2019. Ollie Dook, Proboscidea Rappings. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Proboscidea Rappings, Ollie Dook
Dance Exchange Programme, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured
Dance Exchange Hull
Hull Takeover: Previews © The Herd/The Roaring Girls/Just Club
Hull Takeover: Previews
Athena Papadopoulos, A Tittle-Tattle Tell-a-Tale-Heart, courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist 2019. © James Mulkeen
A Tittle-Tattle Tell-a-Tale Heart, Athena Papadopoulos
Installation view. Place To Place: Liverpool Biennial Touring Programme. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2019. © Tom Arran
Place To Place: Liverpool Biennial Touring Programme
Jamie Reid XXXXX: Fifty Years of Subversion and The Spirit © Jamie Reid
Jamie Reid XXXXX: Fifty Years of Subversion and The Spirit
John Grant's North Atlantic Flux: Sounds from Smoky Bay © Chris Pepper
John Grant's North Atlantic Flux: Sounds from Smoky Bay
The Last Testament of Lillian Bilocca © Hull Truck Theatre
The Last Testament of Lillian Bilocca
A Duckie Summer Tea Party/LGBT50 © Tom Arran