NSENGA KNIGHT
Born 1981 in Brooklyn, NY
Lives and Works in Cairo, Egypt and New York, USA
EDUCATION
2010
MFA, Photography and Interdisciplinary Art, University of Pennsylvania
Graduate Certificate in Time Based and Interactive Media, University of Pennsylvania
Graduate Certificate in Cinema Studies, University of Pennsylvania
2003
Bachelor of Arts, Film Production, Howard University
SOLO EXHIBITIONS | SCREENINGS | PERFORMANCES
2018 Nsenga Knight: Other Stars, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA
2015 White Circle, Black Square, Silver Pentagon, Gallery 100, Durham, NC
X Speaks, Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA
2014 Make Safe Make Space, Elsewhere, Greensboro, NC
2013 Ritual and Revolution, Artspace, Raleigh, NC
2010 Drowning, Amistad Gallery at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Drowning, El Dorado Ballroom at Project Row Houses, Houston, Texas
2007 As the Veil Turns, The Gallery at Harriet’s Alter Ego, Brooklyn, NY
GROUP EXHIBITIONS | SCREENINGS | PERFORMANCES
2020
CURRENTS: An Overwhelming Response, curated by Carmen Hermo, A.I.R., Brooklyn, NY
2019
Love in the Time of Hysteria, curated by Mikhaile Solomon, Franklin Sirmans, and William Cordova, Prizm Art Fair (as part of Miami Artweek), Miami, Fl
Beyond Geography, BRICarts, Brooklyn, NY
Southern Constellations, North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro, NC
2017
In times of Uncertainty, Edgezones, Miami, FL
America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, NY
Where Do We Stand? Two Years of Drawing with Open Sessions, Drawing Center, New York, NY
2016
OS8: Planes and Corridors, Drawing Center, New York, NY
Appropriating Revolution, Old Stone House, Brooklyn, NY
Darkwater Revival: After Terry Adkins, Arthur Ross Gallery at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Southern Constellations, American University Museum, Washington, DC
America to Zanzibar, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, New York, NY
Island Time, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston, TX
Round 43: Small Business, Big Change, Project Rowhouses, Houston, TX
2015
Island Time, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston, TX
Round 43: Small Business, Big Change, Project Rowhouses, Houston, TX
Prints at Pullen, Pullen Arts Center, Raleigh, NC
Expanding the Constellation: Elsewhere at Artspace, Artspace, Raleigh, NC
Werd, Visual Arts Exchange, Raleigh, NC
Three Year Retrospective of Elsewhere Museum’s Southern Constellations Residency Series, John and June Allcott Gallery at UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Under Color of Law, Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA
Respond, Smack Mellon, Brooklyn, NY
2014
Southern Constellations, Smith Gallery, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
2012
The First Year, Galveston Arts Center, Galveston, TX
GAR Inaugural Exhibition, Galveston Artist Residency, Galveston, TX
Clifford Owens: Anthology (performance collaboration), MoMA PS1, New York, NY
2011
Muslim Voices of Philadelphia (film screening), International House, Philadelphia, PA
Reading with Jamal Cyrus, New Museum, New York, NY
Clifford Owens: Anthology (performance collaboration), MoMA PS1, New York, NY
Alpha’s Bet Is Not Over Yet, New Museum, New York, NY
WATCHWORDS, Cauldron Projekts, Birmingham, AL
2010
Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, The Ice Box, Philadelphia, PA
2009
Albatross, Meyerson Gallery at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Perspectives: Women, Art & Islam, Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art, Brooklyn, NY
EastWestSouthNorth, Charles Adams Gallery at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
2009
Diva Dutch (performance collaboration with Aisha Cousins), Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
2008
One Night of Performance, Meyerson Gallery at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Positivity, Cooridor Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2007
A Drum Beats in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn, NY
A Drum Beats in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Historical Society, Brooklyn, NY
Art as Anecdote, Brooklyn Arts Council, Brooklyn, NY
She Shootin, New York City Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York, NY
2006
Summer Thunder Photography Exhibit, Art Gotham, New York, NY
3rd Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn Transitions, Brooklyn Arts Council, Brooklyn, NY
29th Small Works Exhibition, Washington Square East Galleries, New York, NY
2005
Works in Progress Screening, Film/ Video Arts, New York, NY
2004
Critical Islamic Reflections (film screening), Yale University, New Haven, CT
FELLOWSHIPS | GRANTS | AWARDS | RESIDENCIES
2019 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, New York, New York
2019 BRICworkspace Artist in Residence, Brooklyn, New York
2017 Artist in Residence, Open Sessions, Drawing Center, New York, NY
2016 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant, New York, NY
2016 Artist in Residence, Open Sessions, Drawing Center, New York, NY
2015 Artist in Residence, Round 43, Project Rowhouses, Houston, TX
2015 Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artist Grant, Durham Arts Council
2014 Southern Constellations Fellow, Elsewhere, funded by National Endowment for the Arts
2013 Regional Emerging Artist in Residence, Artspace, Raleigh, NC
2012 Artist in Residence, Galveston Artist Residency, Galveston, TX
2011 Artist in Residence, Galveston Artist Residency, Galveston, TX
2011 Philadelphia Independent Film and Video Association Finishing Funds
2010 Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grant
2010 Brandywine Workshop Visiting Artist Fellowship
2010 Arts & the City Year Provost Grant, University of Pennsylvania
2009 Howard & Patricia Bleznak Silverstein Photography fellowship
2009 MFA Departmental Grant, University of Pennsylvania
2008 MFA Departmental Grant, University of Pennsylvania
2007 BCAT/ Rotunda Gallery Joint Multimedia Residency, Brooklyn, NY
2007 Puffin Foundation LTD Grant
2007 Brooklyn Arts Council Re-grant
2006 Brooklyn Arts Council Re-grant
2006 Brooklyn Historical Society Public Perspectives Award
2005 Teaching Artist in Residence, Working Playground, New York, NY
2005 Filmmaker in Residence, Film/ Video Arts, New York, NY
2003 Cannes Film Festival Youth Grant, Embassy of France
2003 Undergraduate Research and Creativity Grant, Howard University
2003 Legacy Scholarship, Howard University
2002 Lucy Moten Travel Fellowship, Howard University
2002 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
2002 Legacy Scholarship, Howard University
2002 Trustee Grant, Howard University
2001 Middle East Studies Travel Grant, Ralph Bunche Center, Howard University
2001 Legacy Scholarship, Howard University
2001 Trustee Grant, Howard University
2000 Legacy Scholarship, Howard University
2000 Trustee Grant, Howard University
1999 Legacy Scholarship, Howard University
SELECTED CATALOGUES | REVIEWS | PUBLICATIONS
2017
Scott, Andrea K, Four Drawing Shows to See Now, Works on Paper from the Renaissance to the age of Donald Trump at the Morgan Library and the Drawing Center,The New Yorker, October 25, 2017
Where Do We Stand? Two Years of Drawing with Open Sessions, The New Yorker, September, 2017
‘Where Do We Stand? Two Years of Drawing with Open Sessions’ opening at the DrawingCenter, artdaily.org, August 4, 2017
Editors’ Picks: 13 Things to See in New York This Week, artnet.com, July 31, 2017
Morrissey, Janet, A Children’s Museum ‘Surprise Blockbuster’: A Show on Islam, The New York Times, March 13, 2017
2016
Grolund, Melissa. Contemporary Art and Digital Culture. New York: Routledge: 178-179
Darkwater Revival, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2016. (catalogue)
Island Time, Houston: Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 2016. (catalogue)
Alexander, John, Old Stone House & Washington Park celebrate the 240th anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 19, 2016
2015
Glentzer, Molly, Staying Vital, Houston Chronicle, October 21, 2015
Howe Brian, Three Year Retrospective of Elsewhere Museum's Southern Constellation Residency Series, Indy Week, Nov 7, 2015
Vitiello, Chris, Long walk for a short peer, Indy Week, September 30, 2015
2014
Ambata Kazi-Nance, Double Vision, Azizah Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 4
2012
Glentzer, Molly, Can art heal what ails Galveston?, Houston Chronicle, August 12, 2012: A1
Britt-Darby, Devon, Getting (Not Too Far) Away From It All, Arts + Culture Houston, June 29, 2012: 8
2011
The Reader. New York: Future Plan and Program, pg. 23
2010
Cordova, William & Jemison, Steffani., Eco, Xiang, Echo, March 2010
2009
Cotter, Holland, Perspectives: Art, Women, and Islam, The New York Times, August 20, 2009
Thomas, Zoe, Muslim Voices Festival Aligns with President’s Trip to Egypt, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle,June 10, 2009, pg. A1, A2
Donofrio, Annette, Last Chance Art, 34th Street Magazine, June 18, 2009:pg. 6
Siddharta Mitter, Interview, WNYC Radio, New York, NY, June 5, 2009
Donohoe, Victoria. Penn Students Display Photos from China, The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 29, 2009: W24
EastWestNorthSouth, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2009. (catalogue)
2007
Richardson, C. Spotlight on City People: Oral Histories Pay Tribute to Muslim Women, The New York Daily News, November 23, 2007
Sarah Malaika, Interview, WBAI Radio, New York, New York, November 13, 2007
In Brooklyn, exhibition announcement with photograph, Brooklyn, New York, February 22, 2007, 1 & 14.
2006
Souls: A Critical Journal in Black Politics and Culture, New York: Columbia University, pg. 20
EVENTS | LECTURES | CONFERENCES | SYMPOSIA
2017
Presenter, 50 Stars and a Crescent: Islam in America, A Quest for Freedom Justice and Equality, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
2016
Visiting Artist, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
Presenter, X Speaks: Performing history, moving from margin to center, and creating an autonomous Black American Muslim performance (cyber)space, March Meeting 2016, Sharjah Art Foundation, United Arab Emirates
2015
Artist Talk, Art +Activism + the Archive, Stanford L. Warren Library, Durham, NC
Artist Talk, Duke University, Durham, NC
Artist Talk, The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center, New York, NY
Artist Talk, Make Safe, Make Space: A Brave Space Discussion, sponsored by the Anthropology and Sociology Department, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA
2014
Artist Talk, Constellations and Conversations, Elsewhere Museum, Greensboro, NC
Presenter, “American and Othered” panel, The Muslim Protagonist Symposium, Columbia University, New York, NY
2013
Artist Talk, Artists in Conversation with the World, Artspace, Raleigh, NC
2012
Artist Talk, Galveston Arts Center, Galveston, TX
2010
Artist Talk, Project Rowhouses, Houston, TX
2009 Presenter, Paper: “Searching for Form in the Desert”, Gilles Deleuze Symposium, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Panelist, Legacy of Islam in America: The Trans-Atlantic Voyage and Beyond, Islamic Society of North America Annual Conference, Washington, DC
Panelist, “Art as Transformation”, Islamic Society of North America Annual Conference, Washington, DC
2008
Artist Talk, Turning Point for Women and Children, New York, NY
Visiting Artist, Black Women and Islam in America, Columbia University, New York, NY
Visiting Artist, Sadie Nash Leadership Project, New York, NY
2007
Presenter, SciArtMet Conference, United Nations, New York, NY
