The LOST Lombi Play Reads &

Exhibitions: FLOW, I’ll Meet You In The Dance, Journey into the Arts of Black Pearl

The Muse Group Theatre Company is thrilled to collaborate with ACTrophy for a series of intimate play-reads of its critically acclaimed production The LOST Lombi.

The LOST Lombi play-reads strip back the production to its rawest form, allowing the emotive writing to captivate and transport audiences into the rich stories of the characters.

Directed by PB Whistle & written by RB8, The LOST Lombi delves into the lives of three women connected by blood, spanning over three generations. One yearning. One running. One with a calling. Each must go on a journey if they are to find peace and resolution within themselves. 

Imaan Samson, Creative Director

Is a Caribbean-British visual artist whose work delves into the impact of human social culture on the black diaspora through both moving images and still portraiture. With a Weeby Awards honour and nomination for outstanding

contributions to technology under his belt. Imaan made history in 2022 as the youngest creative practitioner on StoryTrails, the UK's

largest immersive storytelling project.

Over the years, His evocative and thought-provoking work has gained international recognition from magazines, residences, and platforms across the creative world.

I’ll Meet You In The Dance

An exhibition by Jill Sherlock

Project Credits:

Creative Director: Imaan Samson, Photographer: Gawa Leung, Fashion Designer & MUA: Yilin Du, Stylist: Yunchun Jiang, Models: Esther Ugiri & Lanre Danmola, Lighting: Ese, Production: ReCreators Agency

FLOW Exhibition

FLOW: An Exploration of Inner Radiance

By Imaan Samson and Gawa Leung

The latest visual project by Creative Director Imaan Samson (@imaansamson / @recreatorsagency), in collaboration with photographer Gawa Leung (@gawa_theox / @kawaheadshots), is set to make its anticipated debut in the XYZ gallery space in near Chancery Lane from November 6th-10th, 2024; Captivating audiences with a exploration of inner radiance.

Praised for its evocative exploration of light and movement, Flow invites audiences to witness this compelling body of work up close, offering a new dimension to an already celebrated project. Following widespread acclaim across digital platforms and art communities, Flow’s transition to a physical exhibition space offers audiences an intimate and immersive experience with the series.

“Flow is about more than just creating visually stunning images; it's about the journey of self-discovery and the courage to let your own light shine, even in the face of darkness. I wanted to celebrate individuality by embracing our unique aura/energy”, said Imaan Samson, Creative Director of the project.

Gawa Leung, Photographer

Gawa Leung is a Chinese actor, bouncer, and photographer. Fascinated by traditional spiritual practices in an ultra-modern global context, she creates absurdist visual and theatrical work blending unexpected disciplines.

www.kawaheadshots.com

Yilin Du Fashion Designer/Makeup Artist

is a London-based fashion designer and digital artist with a diverse background in fashion and film. Employing versatile methods, Yilin Du's body of work stands at the intersection of traditional and digital art, physical and virtual realities, and individual and collective identities. With each project, she engages her audience in a dialogue about our relationship with technology and its impact on our sense of self. Du's works have been showcased at MoMu Antwerp, London Fashion Week, Tate Britain, Beijing Fashion Week, Dutch Design Week, London Design Festival, and have garnered media attention from Vogue, ELLE UK, Harper's Bazaar, and many other prestigious platforms

Reality (is a dream to me when I hear that song)

51cm x 77cm 

Acrylic on canvas

This painting was made for my exhibition "I'll meet you in the dance".

For this series, I collected images of people, lost in a moment of true joy and authenticity. My friend Angie has such a passion for music that this was one of the first paintings I made. 

I listened to her favourite dance track while painting, which informed the colour pallette and the title. It expresses the power of choosing the reality of the moment we are in.

Speaker's corner

80cm x 60cm 

Acrylic on canvas

Speaker's Corner is an image of my friend Nikki. We would walk our children to school and then chat on the corner for hours, covering every subject under the sun, and these energising conversations inspired this painting. At the time, Nikki was secretly studying for the Bar. 

Now when I look at it, I am reminded that people's hearts are full of dreams.

About the Artist

Jill Sherlock

I guess you would say that I am self taught, but really I have been mentored and inspired by gifted people for as long as I can remember.

I was raised in South Africa, and some of my earliest memories are of my mother sculpting in clay, my parents performing in the local theatre, dancing, and my brothers playing the piano. 

I worked for most of my adult life as a clothing designer, pattern cutter and seamstress. But there were always several artworks in progress at home.

In my early twenties, I went backpacking and discovered that I love making new connections and finding new insights. 

I am still an explorer at heart, and am fascinated by languages, nature, accountability, spirituality, identity, micro cultures and all the arts. 

For me, art is a mode of communication, and so I work in whichever medium seems best suited to the subject matter - pencil, written word, sculpture in clay, textiles, paint...

Currently I am inspired by overcoming - by hope and stubborn optimism.

 My family and I live in Essex, where I teach therapeutic, joyful art to adults and children.  I also make pieces for my Etsy Shop, and for private clients.

I have shown four well received solo exhibitions, and am working on my fifth.

Journey into the Arts of Black Pearl

Pearl Dana-May Smith was born in Wolverhampton, one of eight children raised by both parents in a traditional Jamaican household.

Pearl had aspirations of becoming an actor/ performer early on in life. However, that was discouraged by her parents, stating it's not a "proper job."

Pearl avoided office type structured work due to having dyslexia, which was not diagnosed until after becoming a mother. During the 1980s, Pearl would channel her creativity into setting up a successful clothing company - City Craze, along with her sister and a friend. Once the business folded 1990, Pearl had a variety of jobs, from managing a shoe shop and direct sales teams to becoming a background artist as well as starting a silver service waiting agency.

After moving to London 2006 Pearl decided to create an art piece for her new living space, she received so many compliments and requests for her simplistic artwork, Pearl was reluctant undertaking any orders experiencing "imposter syndrome" due to no formal training.

Friends were persistent with their requests, which resulted in her creating her very first commission in 2009.

Pearl shocased her first Solo Exhibition in June 2011 at the Tabernacle in Notting Hill. Creating from her imagination, hopes, and dreams, now at ease when referring to herself as an artist / creative - Arts of Black Pearl.