Curator Marta Duarte reflects on how she came to work with two Reading School of Art students in her recent London exhibition ‘Subject Matters’, featuring Birhanu Manaye (MA Fine Art) and Kiera Grace (BA Art and Psychology alumna), and offers further advice for young creatives on the importance of community.
Marta Duarte (she/her) is a London-based independent curator whose curatorial practice is grounded in community and support – values she believes to be essential in the arts, and increasingly urgent in today’s world. She focuses on themes of heritage, identity, and lived experience, forming a visual sociological study through art. Read Marta’s full bio below.
“I first discovered Kiera and Birhanu’s work through an open call I put out for ‘Subject Matters’. I also reached out directly to a few artists already on my radar, but I always find open calls essential, especially for community-focused projects. They allow you to find exceptional talent you might never come across otherwise. It also gives a platform to artists who might not have such a big following on social media, which is basically essential these days to be part of the art world. Open calls widen that circle. Even if someone’s work might not fit your particular curatorial vision at that moment, it might resonate perfectly with future projects.
Both Kiera and Birhanu immediately struck me, each for different reasons, yet with some beautiful overlaps. With Kiera, I was drawn to the tenderness of her work, flowing through her pieces, from older to newer projects, supported by a gentle colour palette – even with her signature neon pink. Her subjects coincide with my own curatorial focus on memory: its recollection, preservation, and the emotions carried within. ‘Now That We Know How Do We Live?’ truly resonated with visitors, speaking to their own memories, and experiences, sparking conversations.
‘Now That We Know, How Do We Live?’, Kiera Grace, 2024 Mixed media tapestry and tree branch (90x106cm). Photo: Eduard Pop
One thing I deeply admire about Kiera is her willingness to experiment. She isn’t afraid to try new materials, new forms, or new ways of expression. Her body of work is remarkably diverse, something I always encourage in emerging artists. Finding your voice and your style is incredibly important, but openness to experimentation invites growth and new avenues for engagement.
Birhanu’s work captivated me through its visual strength and skilful employment of silkscreen printing. His most recent pieces embrace a monochromatic palette, and whether he uses cooler or warmer tones, the compositions have real impact. I found ‘Drifted in the Gaze 2’ immediately compelling, and it commanded the space, drawing in viewers.
‘Drifted in the Gaze 2’, Birhanu Manaye, 2023 (top right)
Mixed media on canvas (100x100cm). Photo: Eduard Pop
Kiera and Birhanu’s practices shared a tenderness. It is present in the figures Birhanu portrays, through a combined playfulness and naturalism; his figures feel deeply relatable and emotionally charged.
‘Drifted in the Gaze 2’ became a conceptual and visual culmination of the exhibition for me. I found myself connecting all the selected artworks to this one. The depiction of roots in the work linked directly to the exhibition’s central ideas and themes, speaking profoundly to heritage and memory, within the realm of identity.
Placing the works near each other, the tree branch in Kiera’s work felt symbolically connected to what blossomed in Birhanu’s, extending into its larger, expansive network of roots. There was also the conceptual mirroring, and I was excited to see them together in the space, showcasing everything I hoped the exhibition would communicate.
Curator Marta Duarte (centre right) at the opening of ‘Subject Matters’ at Comewells, North London, 7-16 November 2025. Photo: Eduard Pop
Advice I always share with emerging artists is the importance of building a solid (and friendly) creative community. Community has always been the pillar to how we exist in the world, but today, and especially in London, it becomes even more crucial, especially in the arts. Finding or forming a community helps you grow, stay inspired and motivated, feel supported, and keep moving forward. Collaboration and connection have shaped my own journey in many positive ways. Being surrounded by people who share your goals, your values, and your heart makes all the difference. Go to that small exhibition opening and get to know people.”
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Marta Duarte is the co-founder of Despite Collective, a multidisciplinary group amplifying artists who sustain their practice despite the labour work necessary to “earn a living”. The collective’s ethos ‘Art that works, for the workers. Making art despite the odds.’ encapsulates her dedication to creating spaces for underrepresented artists, and the narratives that truly shape our cultural landscape. Marta has independently curated ‘Subject Matters’, ‘Despite: Part 1’ and ‘Part 2’. Upcoming plans include an exhibition featuring Portuguese artists, and a project blending visual arts and the white gallery setting with theatre. Marta has a BA in Art History, post graduate in Art Markets and Collecting, and MA in Museums and Curation. She currently works at The National Gallery in the Loyalty, Sales and Ticketed Experiences department.
Birhanu Manaye is a visual artist born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His work serves as a testimony to nature’s self-expression and acts as a means to explore the intricate web of connections and memories that bind us all together. Birhanu’s work has travelled to many countries, including South Africa, Italy, Romania, Turkey, and the USA. Recent exhibitions include Woven Memories (The Space Ethiopia, 2025) and Reciprocal Narratives (RMB Latitudes, 2025).
Kiera Grace is a London-based Caribbean mixed-media artist whose work explores mythology and the Black British diasporic condition. Working primarily with paint, collage, and archive photography, Grace materialises the interconnection between London and the Caribbean through a personal and nostalgic lens. Recently graduating in Fine Art and Psychology at the University of Reading, she has exhibited at Hypha Studios (Reading) and AMP Studios (London), and is a Conditions Studio Programme Artist 2024-25.
Reading School of Art 