1970–now

Biography of Iris Kensmil,

Born in 1970 in Amsterdam, Iris Kensmil grew up in Paramaribo, Suriname from 1971. At age 9 she moved back to Amsterdam. She studied fine arts at the Minerva Art Academy in Groningen (1992–96) and did a residency at the International Studio & Curatorial Program in New York (2009-10). She currently lives and works in Amsterdam.

Iris Kensmil represents the Netherlands at the Venice Biennial 2019 with Remy Jungerman. She acted as a convener for the Becoming More caucus at the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven and created an installation for the collection Study in Black Modernity (2017). Solo exhibitions include Iris Kensmil at Club Solo, Breda, in collaboration with the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven (2015); Shifting Colours, with Willem de Rooij at Tropenmuseum Amsterdam (2014); No sidon na bakra sturu, with Charl Landvreugd, 6to8months at Kara Walker Studio, New York (2010). Her work has been shown in collection presentations such as Stedelijk Base2, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (2017–18); and in group exhibitions such as Black and Revolutionary, The Black Archives, Veronsur, Amsterdam (2018); Evolution/Revolution/Revision, Bread House, Tsaritsino Museum, Moscow (2017); How Far, How Near, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (2014); Time Trade Travel, SMBA, Amsterdam & Accra, Ghana (2012); Monumentalism, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (2010); Wakaman: Drawing Lines, Connecting Dots, Fort Zeelandia, Paramaribo, Suriname (2009); and Respect! Forms of community, Musée Dar-Si-Said & Palais el-Badi, Marrakech, Morocco (2005).

Biography