ABOUT
I am an award-winning London-based portrait artist championing my British Caribbean experience. I was born in the early 80s, pursuing a career in fashion after studying at Central Saint Martins. However, the covid pandemic inspired a return to my very first love art and I have spent the years since building my art practise up from a lockdown hobby to an award winning practise, which includes exhibitions, commissions and most importantly connecting the nostalgia and joy of the Windrush Generation with its descendants.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My art is a love letter to the black British experience from my heritage as the granddaughter of the Windrush Generation. I am not only holding onto the memories and dreams of those that came before me, but also celebrating the everyday of my community through portraiture.
Working from my South London studio, I create pieces that focus on surface. This includes building up layers of rhythmic paint strokes, memories and conversations captured in text and referencing the iconic mid-century 'front rooms' of the Windrush Generation, using vintage wallpaper either as the foundation of my artwork or as collage.
Representing the everyday with grandeur is integral to my work, so I ensure that the gaze and posture of each subject is both powerful and soulful. Listening to loud jazz music while I paint is an important part of this practise.
CV
EXHIBITIONS:
- '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
- Portrait Artist of the Year Sky Arts 2023
- Evening Standard and The Independent Artist Creates Portraits as a Love Letter to the Windrush Generation September 2023
- Women United Art Magazine Special Edition Spring 2023
- Colours of Art School Situationship Spring 2023
- The HUTS Magazine Issue 7 February 2023
- Women United Art Movement Honouring the Past, Embracing the Present with Yvadney Davis Episode 52 December 2022
- Art Seen Summer Issue May 2022
- Women Who Rebrand Uncovering the Creative Genius of Yvadney Davis - Episode 15 March 2022
- Evening Standard 'Homes & Property' February 2022
- Create Magazine Issue #27 October 2021
PRIZES & SHORTLISTS:
- John Moores Painting Prize 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
- Black British Art x Wilkie Farr & Gallagher Private Exhibition 2023
- Road Chef Black History Month 2022
- Casild Art x Harbottle & Lewis Private Exhibition 2022