Eastside Projects

les ongles noirs (dirty nails) begins a sticky experimental thing happening between Dakar, Senegal and Birmingham, UK. This is an invitation to play, grieve, hum; throw soil on white walls; dance, pray, touch and be moved by the unknown.

Across a week from 27 May Ayesha Jones, Ban Workshop, Ibrahima Ndome, Jade Blackstock, Maria Muehombo/ M I M I, melissandre varin, Sym Mendez/Sym Stellium and Wutangu will gather at Ban Workshop in Dakar, Senegal to take part in an experimental residency with artists’ rituals, public meals, performances, open talking circles, workshops and public sharings.

Everyone is welcome to join the artists on Thursday 30 May and Saturday 1 June, 4–8pm for two work-in-progress sharings and public dinners as part of #theOFFisON

Co-commissioned with

Supported by

More n:u (melissandre varin)

“Apply Now! Wheatley Fellowship 2026-27”

–
Jo Capper, n:u (melissandre varin), Richard Phoenix, Verity-Jane Keefe

“Open Discussion: The Workshop in Artistic Practice”

Alice Theobald, Elisabeth Del Prete, Marley Starskey Butler, n:u (melissandre varin), Sahjan Kooner, Seema Mattu, Verity-Jane Keefe

“The Sculpture x Incidental Artists: Round Table Discussion”

Abbas Zahedi, Alice Theobald, Marley Starskey Butler, n:u (melissandre varin), Sahjan Kooner, Seema Mattu, Verity-Jane Keefe

“Incidental Artists: Doings”

–
Carmen Wong

“Full Moon Food Offering”

“An invitation to throw mud against white walls”

–
Manoj Yoga, n:u (melissandre varin)

“Together in the Mud Sound Bath”

Agnes Essonti Luque, n:u (melissandre varin)

“Film Screening and Talking Circle”

“Together in the Mud Family Workshop”

ELLE FIERCE, Liz Ord, Pablo Pakula, Samiir Saunders

“itch. x dirty nails”

n:u (melissandre varin), Sym Mendez/Sym Stellium

“Nourishing Sunday: M.I/L!K? digestive”

“Wednesday Access Afternoons”

–
Carmen Wong, Karen Dhlamini

“Grief Circle and Nourishments”

Ayesha Jones, Ban Workshop, Bousebik and Eole, Bronwyn Katz, Carmen Wong, Ibrahima Ndome, Jade Blackstock, Maria Muehombo/ M I M I, n:u (melissandre varin), Sym Mendez/Sym Stellium, Wutangu

“dirty nails (les ongles noirs)”

–
Ban Workshop, Geamhradhr/Winter, Jade Blackstock, Maria Muehombo/ M I M I, n:u (melissandre varin), Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran

“Launch Night: dirty nails (les ongles noirs) and Idols of Mud and Water”

Geamhradhr/Winter, Jade Blackstock, n:u (melissandre varin)

“dirty nails (les ongles noirs) at the Market”

n:u (melissandre varin)

“ONLINE Studio Visit”

Sahjan Kooner

“ONLINE Studio Visit”

Current
Abbas Zahedi, Alice Theobald, Harriet Bowman, Marley Starskey Butler, n:u (melissandre varin), Sahjan Kooner, Seema Mattu, Verity-Jane Keefe

“Incidental Artists”