About
From and living in Glasgow, Scotland, Zoë is a Black artist working under the artist name, Zoë Zo, Zoë Tumika & Zoë Guthrie. Through ceramics, moving image, and an emerging engagement with sound, Zo, Tumika & Guthrie explores states of untethering—navigating multiple temporalities and ways of being. They employ narrative building and dismantling, listening and questioning, to consider alternative understandings and activate further possibilities as a means towards Black liberation. Their practice responds to the tensions between lived experience and dominant narratives of time, place, and identity.
To support this generative, meaningful knowledge-making, Zo, Tumika & Guthrie engages with frameworks which have been formed in the disciplines of Black Feminism, Black Geographies and Black Studies.
Deeply embodied, their material choices are led by instinct and resonance, with clay often forming a central medium for meditation, play, and processing. Ceramic works are often created slowly over extended durations using both handbuilding techniques and the pottery wheel. Formally trained in analogue photography, image-making has a continuing presence throughout Zo, Tumika & Guthrie’s work, manifesting most concentratedly in multiple film works.
An additional foundational component to Zo, Tumika & Guthrie’s practice is community building and collaboration. They co-developed Body Remedy, a Glasgow based forming ecology which supports the holistic development of Black and POC women and non binary creative practitioners. This work has significantly shaped how they identify and navigate ethics within the making of their work - prioritising equity and reciprocity with critical rigour.
Selected Exhibitions
Upcoming in 2025
[GROUP] To be announced London College of Fashion, East Bank London, England
[GROUP] To be announced Pallant House Gallery Chichester, England
2025
[GROUP] 20/20: Reflections II Chelsea Space London, England
[SOLO] Guiding Entities MIMA, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art Middlesbrough, England
[GROUP] 20/20 Project Digital Exhibition UAL: Decolonising Arts Institute (Online) London, England
2019
[GROUP] Making Ground, with the artists Ebun Sodipo & Rosa Johan Uddo Embassy Gallery Edinburgh, Scotland
[GROUP] as of yet Many Studios Glasgow, Scotland
2018
[GROUP] Terror & Beauty: Artists’ Response to John Akomfrah’s Vertigo Sea Talbot Rice Gallery Edinburgh, Scotland
Commissions
2023 - 2024
University Arts London: Decolonising Arts Institute 20/20 Project Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art Middlesbrough & London, England
2022
Embodied Knowledge / Rhubaba Edinburgh, Scotland
2021 (published 2022)
PASSIONS published by Rhubaba Edinburgh, Scotland
Residencies
2023 - 2024
Artist in residence Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art Middlesbrough, England
2023
Artist in residence, Studio Residency 2023 David Dale Gallery Glasgow, Scotland
2019
Artist in residence (November) Rhythm Machine Edinburgh, Scotland
2018
Artist in residence (August) Rhythm Machine Edinburgh, Scotland
Public Collections
Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art Birmingham Museums Trust The Box Bradford District Museums and Galleries Bristol Museum and Art Gallery Compton Verney Harris Museum The Hepworth Wakefield The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum Kettle's Yard Leeds Art Gallery The Lightbox Manchester Art Gallery National Disability Arts Collection and Archive National Museums NI (Ulster Museum) Pallant House Gallery Sheffield Museums Trust Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool Wolverhampton Art Gallery
Public Talks, Workshops, Screenings & Contributions
2025
In conversation with the artists Adjoa Armah Chelsea Space London, England
maud. - A Film Screening & Conversation, speaking with the artists Adebusola Ramsay and Khadea Santi Tramway Glasgow, Scotland
2023
Artist facilitator & developer of the workshop Letter Drawing with Clay Race Rights & Sovereignty programme at The Glasgow School of Art Glasgow, Scotland
2022
Featured artist in the short film, maud. (2022), speaking with artist Adebusola Ramsay Director: Natasha Thembiso Ruwona, Executive Producer: Tomiwa Folorunso
Embodied Knowledge with Art Late 2, a conversation with artist and design scholar, Dr Sequoia Barnes, and artist, Khadea Santi Edinburgh Art Festival (Online) Edinburgh, Scotland
2021
a rant! a reel! Screening & Conversation, programmed by Languid Hands, with the artist Camara Taylor and filmmaker Sana Bilgrami Cubitt Artists (Online) London, England
2020
Poster design Transmission Gallery Glasgow, Scotland
2019
Surrounds, screening programmed by Camara Taylor The Glasgow School of Art Glasgow, Scotland
Photographer Scotch Bonnet for Free Pride Glasgow, Scotland
2018
Poster design Transmission Gallery Glasgow, Scotland
Awards & Grants
- Visual Arts and Craft Makers Award (VACMA), Creative Scotland in 2024/2025, 2022/2023, 2021/2022 & 2020/2021
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Open Fund for Individuals: BLACK CLYDE / FUTURE ISLANDS, Creative Scotland in 2023
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Grand Plan Grant in 2022
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Creatives Explore Grant (British Council in partnership with Western Jerwood Creative Bursary) in 2022
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Western Jerwood Creative Bursary in 2020 - 2022
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The Alexander Flynn Bequest in 2018
tumikastudios[at]gmail.com© 2025