Ekow Eshun

Ekow Eshun
Born (1968-05-27) 27 May 1968 (age 56)
London, England
NationalityBritish
EducationKingsbury High School;
London School of Economics
Occupation(s)Writer, journalist, broadcaster, curator
Known forCultural commentary
Websiteekoweshun.co.uk

Ekow Eshun (born 27 May 1968) is a British writer, journalist, broadcaster, and curator.

Eshun rose to prominence as a trailblazer in British culture. He was the first Black editor of a major magazine in the UK (Arena Magazine in 1997)[1] and continued to break ground as the first Black director of a major arts organisation, the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.

Described as a "cultural polymath" by The Guardian,[2] he has been at the heart of creative culture in Britain for several decades, authoring books, presenting TV and radio documentaries, curating exhibitions, and chairing high-profile lectures.

Eshun curated In the Black Fantastic at London's Hayward Gallery in July 2022,[3] a landmark exhibition of visionary Black artists exploring myth, science fiction and Afrofuturism. The show was critically acclaimed, being called "Spectacular from first to last" by The Observer.[4] The Evening Standard said: "There is "There is unlikely to be a better show this year."[5]

As Chairman of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group[6] in Trafalgar Square, Eshun leads one of the most important public arts programmes in the world.

  1. ^ "The face of British style; interview: Ekow Eshun". The Independent. 2 March 1997. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  2. ^ Sudjic, Deyan (13 March 2005). "Is It Mission Impossible?". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Fourth Plinth winners for 2022 and 2024 | London City Hall". www.london.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2023.