Khadija Mohammadou Saye, also known as Ya-Haddy Sisi Saye, was a Gambian-British photographer. Her photography explored her Gambian-British identity and was exhibited in the Diaspora Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2017. Saye died in the Grenfell Tower fire.
Life and work
Saye was born in London and initially attended the Sion Manning Roman Catholic Girls' School in North Kensington. At age 16 she won a scholarship to Rugby School in Rugby, England. Later she attended the University for the Creative Arts at Farnham and obtained a photography degree. She lived with her mother, Mary Ajaoi Augustus Mendy, on the 20th floor of Grenfell Tower in North Kensington. She was mentored by artist Nicola Green and became friends with Green's husband, Tottenham MP David Lammy. Saye's photography explored her Gambian-British identity. In 2017 her series of photographs entitled Dwellings: in this Space we Breathe, based on Gambian spiritual practices, was exhibited in the Diaspora Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale. The BBC had been planning to broadcast on 17 June a documentary TV programme, Venice Biennale: Sink or Swim, that included Saye. The programme "follows a team of diverse emerging artists as they install and prepare to launch the first ever Diaspora Pavilion in a Venetian palazzo during the Venice Biennale". The programme was postponed after the fire and transmitted in September 2017. Saye was a passionate activist and educator, she volunteered at Jawaab to educate and empower young Muslims. Her work was part of the reopening show of Kettle's Yard in Cambridge on 10 February 2018. In 2018 Saye’s works were auctioned at Christie’s as part of the Post-War and Contemporary Day Auction. Nak Bejjen, one of the tintypes from the series Dwelling: in this space we breath was sold for £43,750. Between 2 October - 2 November 2019 a portfolio of nine silkscreen prints, titled In this space we breathe were exhibited at Victoria Miro Gallery. This was part of Rock My Soul, an exhibition of black female artists curated by the artist Isaac Julien. In 2019, the London Transport Museum launched a photography fellowship program in Saye's name. A paid internship at PEER has been set up in Saye’s name for young BAME artists. Saye worked at PEER as a Creative Access intern from 2015 -16. In July 2020 The Khadija Saye IntoArts Programme was launched by IntoUniversity and Nicola Green. The programme addresses the issue of BAME inclusivity in the creative industries by focusing directly on the barriers that exist to young people from disadvantaged communities. It provides support and mentoring to help young people to explore the Arts. The launch of the Khadija Saye IntoArts coincided with the unveiling of Breath is Invisible, Nine large-scale prints of Saye’s series in this space we breath were displayed across the outside façade of 236 Westbourne Grove in West London. This was the first of three exhibitions to run at the space, all of which aim to explore social inequality and injustice.
Death
Both Saye and her mother died in the Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017. Following her death, Tate Britain announced that it would exhibit a silkscreen of one of the pieces from the Dwellings series, Sothiou, in the memorials section.
