Mentor Profile: Karanjit Panesar

What do you enjoy about offering Axis members Critical Friend Conversations?

Any one-to-one is an opportunity to get a glimpse into somebody’s practice, which is a genuine privilege and pleasure. It’s great to be able to help where I can and point out connections that can be hard to see when you’re up close to the work.

Are there particular areas relating to the visual arts profession that you feel you could help with as a mentor?

Many opportunities require you to write a good application before you get there, including the boring stuff like balanced and realistic budgets. I’ve worked on a few of these kinds of opportunities so I’m always happy to talk through the nuts and bolts of an application (as well as the ideas).

Karanjit Panesar (he/him) is an artist and filmmaker living and working in Leeds. Running through his practice are oblique explorations of identity and its formulation within political, economic and social structures. Often starting from moving image, he constructs stylised and layered installations that contain sculpture and other media. Panesar’s work is underpinned by capitalist critique, using metaphor to build and re-configure myths, worlds and stories. 

Recent solo presentations include:
Furnace Fruit, Leeds Art Gallery, 2024; Clarence Pier, Aspex Portsmouth, 2022; Parts of Wholes, Workplace Foundation, Newcastle, 2022; Actor, Container, Two Queens, Leicester, 2021; Strange Loop, Turf Projects, Croydon, 2019; and THE WAY THINGS ARE, arebyte Gallery, London, 2018.

We aim for these Critical Friend Conversations to be held in a space free from judgement, requiring both participants to be fully present and ready to listen. Conversations offer reciprocal benefits and are made even more valuable by continued engagement in the Axis Community, our dedicated online platform for members. 

But don’t just take our word for it! Here's what some members have said about their experience Here