Article by Galaxy Henry for Nataal media:
Introducing: The Selah Collective
The black and queer multidisplinary crew reclaiming time, space and identity at the heart of London art’s scene.
Founded in December 2021 by Afro-Dutch stylist and curator, Chi Chi Maté Langlah aka Ms Shakara, the Selah Collective currently consists of 12 black, queer, muslim, and non-binary creatives, whose unabashed presence and artistic offerings inject a much-welcome dose of authenticity and radical self-acceptance into what can sometimes feel like an over-saturated and increasingly homogenous arts scene. Much like the polysemous epithet ‘Selah’― which holds a myriad of meanings but, in this context, is conceptualised as ‘the importance of remembrance, to take note’― the artists that breathe life into this boundary-transcending group are committed to embracing the polyvalence of self-hood and have, thus, set out to facilitate escapist spaces and platforms of Afro-futuristic and queer creative expression in London and beyond.
Not be mistaken for the six-piece mediterranean jazz ensemble of the same name, this Selah Collective, [pronounced: /seh-laah/ according to the Ewe (Eh-weh) pronunciation], comprises of delightfully audacious black and queer multidisciplinaries based in, but not confined to, the grassier expanses of South London― and boy did they arrive on the scene with a bang. Their inaugural exhibition titled, 2000 & Black: The Millenium of Black Euphoria was an undeniably joyful celebration of the past, present and future of African ancestral heritage and an overall testament to the fact that the talent and capability of these young artists knows neither bounds nor limitations.
Connectivity―be it to self or to other― appears to be a key theme that drives, motivates and inspires the artists of Selah. For Ms Shakara, the curator and creative lead behind the collective’s recent exhibition, it was important that she could create a safe space for black and queer artists. Her overarching intention for the collective is to facilitate the kinds of arenas in which black and queer individuals can join and commune. “I miss community,” explains Ms Shakara in discussion with Nataal, “and I feel like doing art work and expressing with a collective, it’s like an invitation into a family.” Hailing from Amsterdam South East, Ms Shakara moved to London in 2018 to pursue a degree at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) and is currently completing her masters in Innovation and Design. Establishing a community away from home hasn’t come without its challenges, but Ms Shakara has also proven that it is possible nonetheless.
Another member of the Selah collective is Kween Ramel, an Afro-Centric creative specialising in fashion design, fashion styling and modelling. For Ramel, the concept of freedom is what underpins Selah’s creative output. “I feel like our mission is to set ourselves free and use our art as a form of healing, co-existing and building safe spaces and communities where we can express our art authentically,” they tell Nataal, whilst for Zara Nelson, a South London-based Art of Video Games extraordinaire, the Selah Collective offers a space in which she can actually make art for herself. Prince Oké, a British-Nigerian fashion stylist and artist extolls the fact that the collective allows them to focus on identity, namely “exploring how far it can be pushed” and their work in particular, although presented from a satirical perspective, champions black experiences and black characters.
Other cherished members of the Selah Collective include; Ugandan multidisciplinary artist Tim Tim Akena, Zambia-born photographer Katwamba Mutale, Dutch conceptual artist FHAURA, hair stylist and multi-hyphenate Lotanna Amazu, photographer Saul Samba, mixed-media visual artist Leejah McCarthy, artistic storyteller Doobee and, last but never least, digital artist and stylist Andrea. Collectively, they form a multi-dimensional team of bold trailblazers and formidable talent. Think: the potent spirituality and symbolism of Solange’s, ‘When I Get Home’ audio-visual project meets the camp/“Kunt” energy of Beyoncé’s recently released ‘RENAISSANCE’ album.
Undoubtedly, the Selah Collective is a sisterhood of sorts and a community above all.
