Reimagining the Canon

Panel discussion on how creative practice can unsettle prevailing narratives and spark new perspectives.

Imagination has long been a catalyst for change. It allows us to question inherited narratives, envision possibilities beyond existing structures and create space for new realities to emerge. This panel explores how imagination functions as a powerful tool for cultural and social transformation, particularly in the context of Black history and representation.

Bringing together a panel of artists, curators and critics, we explore how artists can use imagination to rewrite histories, expand representation, and resist the confines of established cultural canons.

This conversation accompanies Love letters to you and me, an exhibition by Royal Academy Schools’ 2026 Starr Fellow Obi Agwam, on display in our Weston Studios from Friday 1 May to Sunday 24 May 2026.

About the speakers

Obi Agwam is a Nigerian artist based in Queens, New York. He received his Bachelor's in arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2022 and has been working as a full time artist since 2020. Obi has shown work at galleries in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Canada and is currently the Royal Academy Starr Fellow for the year of 2026.

Cynthia Igbokwe is a London-based curator, researcher, and strategist working at the intersection of critical theory and cultural production. She holds an MA in Innovation Management from Central Saint Martins and is the founder of C-STUDIOS, a creative strategy and curatorial practice that develops frameworks for cultural production, engagement, and education across commercial and public contexts. Recent credits include co-curating the UK debut of pianist Precious Renée Tucker with Prologue+, curating the London book launch of Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Black Ark, programming a screening of Khalil Joseph’s BLKNWS® in Residence at The Music Center LA, moderating for the Alexander McQueen Reverb series, and writing for CURA., Contemporary And, and Thaddaeus Ropac.

Bernice Mulenga is a British-Congolese artist and photographer based in London. Mulenga’s practice seeks to archive, document and interrogate the world around them, primarily focusing on themselves, Black queer global and local communities, and the experiences found within them. Their work centres on bonds, kinship and the search for intimacy. This is exemplified in their ongoing photo series #friendsonfilm, a living archive that has been growing since 2015 and continues to evolve with time. Mulenga has exhibited around the UK and France, was awarded the Circa Prize 2024, and their film Let’s Move On was featured on Piccadilly Lights in London and other international screens throughout September 2024.

Nikita Sena Quarshie is a curator, writer and researcher from London, by way of Ghana. A former curatorial fellow on the New Curators programme, Nikita co-curated Firelei Báez's first solo exhibition in the UK at the South London Gallery (2024). Most recently, Nikita was on the curatorial team of Kerry James Marshall: The Histories, a major survey of the artist's work at the Royal Academy of Arts (2025-26). Alongside Mark Godfrey, she also curated Rythm Mastr: The Chronicles, the first show in the UK dedicated to Kerry James Marshall's comic project.

For 40 years, the Royal Academy Schools has welcomed American artists as Starr Fellows, a placement that has enriched our institution and provided transformative opportunities. This enduring tradition is possible thanks to the exceptional generosity of the Starr Foundation.

Date & Time: 6 May, 6:30pm – 7:45pm

Location: The John Madejski Fine Rooms | Burlington House

Tickets: £12/£8