ABOUT

Hello, I'm Yvadney Davis (pronounced E-vad-nee) and live in South London,  where I work from my home studio. After graduating from the Central Saint Martins Fashion BA, I worked as a PR and for the past decade fashion stylist, much of this sartorial influence can be seen throughout my work.

My art practice is a love letter to my British Caribbean heritage, expressed through figurative works that explore themes of nostalgia, identity, and belonging. I embrace the duality of home, encompassing both the terraced houses of the UK and the lush hills and rivers of Jamaica.The work weaves together memories, folklore, and the complex question of what it means to belong as a second-generation immigrant. Figures are drawn from loved ones, myself, and the everyday members of my community, alongside characters from folk stories, traditional mass carnival, and songs handed down through generations.

From my garden studio, I create works that celebrate surface and texture, layering paint strokes, chrome ink, and linen canvas with the intricate patterns of vintage mid-century wallpaper. This aesthetic not only pays homage to the iconic interiors of the Windrush era but also bridges past and present, opening a dialogue about displacement, resilience, and the evolving concept of home.

EXHIBITIONS:

  • '100 Black Women Who Have Made a Mark' Serendipity Institute at Leicester Gallery October 2024
  • 'Lore' at Sunny Bank Mills, Leeds October 2024
  • 'Rogue 3' Rogue Galleries, Manchester October 2024
  • 'Riot Soup' Other Art Fair at Truman Brewery, London October 2024
  • 'A Woman's Work' Yellow Dot at Genisis Gallery, 2024
  • 'Together We Thrive' Sotheby's Institute x Cultural Leaders at Gallery OCA, Cromwell Place 2024
  • 'Gather Around the Story Tree' Plurality Now at 198 Gallery 2023
  • 'Proverbs of the Windrush Child' Black Cultural Archives 2023
  • 'Sounds & Stories of the Windrush' Peckham Levels 2023
  • 'Where Are You From From?'  University of Canterbury 2023
  • 'Black & Bold' M&C Saatchi x Harrods 2022
  • 'ING Discerning Eye'  Mall Galleries 2022
  • 'Some of Us Are Brave' Casild Art 2022
  • 'The Marks We Make' The Curator's Salon 2021
  • 'Presentations: A Celebration of Black Art' Hammersmith BID 2021
MEDIA:

PRIZES & SHORTLISTS:

  • John Moores Painting Prize Exhibition Shortlist 2023
  • Art United Painting Prize 1st place winner -  2022
  • ING Discerning Eye Shortlist 2022
  • Royal Academy Summer Exhibition Shortlist 2022
  • Wavertree Art Prize Shortlist 2022
COLLABORATIONS:
  • Black British Art x Wilkie Farr & Gallagher Private Exhibition 2023
  • Road Chef Black History Month 2022
  • Casild Art x Harbottle & Lewis Private Exhibition 2022