BLCKGEEZER (Miya Jazmin Browne) | Artist Overview

BLCKGEEZER (b. 1997) Miya Jazmin Browne is a London born and based artist. They completed a Foundation in Fine Art at Kensington and Chelsea College (2015-2016). Graduated in 2020 on Fine Art Mixed Media BA Honours at University of Westminster with a First Class Honours (2016-2020). Awarded with the Paul Detsy Scholarship and enrolled on the MA PAINTING programme at the Royal College of Art (2020). Selected for Col Arts Bursary and materials prize (2021). Course extended due to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (2021- ongoing) awarded with Black Studentship (2021- 2022) and Sir Frank Bowling Scholarship (2022-2023). Selected for the Chadwell Award Shortlist (2023) and now currently in receipt of this award. Browne has been involved in collaboration with the Royal College of Music for The Great Exhibition Road Festival (2021) which involved drawing from live classical music. She has also been in collaboration with Imperial College London, selected to be a part of the equality and diversity portrait prize commission (2021), where she embarked on conversations with Crystal Vincent, Imperial London Immunologist in her laboratory. Thus, the birth of "Fly in a landscape: Looking at the noise". Miya produced an art piece based on conversations with Dr Vincent, whose research involves looking at immunity in flies. This work means they spend a lot of time examining the insects under a microscope. Before commencing the portrait, Miya met with Dr Vincent in their lab to understand more about their work and what motivates them – and found many similarities between this and Miya’s own practice as an artist. Despite ongoing Cancer treatments Browne has exhibited in group shows across London. Transforming Legacies at Black Cultural Archives (2022), an exhibition looking at Black British Art history curated by Pacheanne Anderson. Most recently she has been a part of MANIFOLD DELUXE (2023), Frieze Gallery, 9 Cork Street - showcasing the layers of Black female artists. In the wake of a right breast mastectomy Browne birthed the term "Breastistentialism" - on how the underboob sweat gives nuance to perspective. Developing from this idea and upon the unease and agony of chemotherapy she branched a new speculation "Black Nausea" - on the unease and discomfort of black, a pillar in understanding the current body of work. Browne continues to speculate and investigate terminologies and theorises new ways of understanding her practice. Throughout her master’s degree she has dedicated herself to intensive practical research and experimentation in understanding black and white as material. She intends to push these theories and practice further with the eagerness to acquire a practiced based PHD with specialised and specific research in "Black Nausea". She aims to develop her master’s research further into a documentary based research thesis.