Christine Eyene is an art historian and curator. She is Lecturer in Contemporary Art at Liverpool John Moores University and Research Curator at Tate Liverpool.

From 2012 to 2022, Eyene was a Research Fellow in Contemporary Art at the University of Central Lancashire where she worked on Making Histories Visible, a multidisciplinary visual arts research project led by Lubaina Himid, Professor of Contemporary Art and 2017 Turner Prize winner. In this framework, Eyene developed new research on feminism, sound art, and photography. She is currently a PhD candidate at Birkbeck, University of London, and is completing a thesis on the relationship between African literature and visual representation in the work of South African photographer George Hallett (1942-2020) under the supervision of Professor Annie E. Coombes.

Eyene’s areas of research and curatorial practice encompass contemporary African and Diaspora arts, feminism, photography, and non-object-based art practices notably sound art. Her other interests include: socially-engaged initiatives, urban culture, music, design, and new media.

As an art writer, her latest writings include contributions to 'Tracey Rose: Shooting Down Babylon' (Cape Town: Zeitz MOCAA, 2022); Lubaina Himid (London: Tate Publishing, 2021); Alice Mann: Drummies (London: Gost Books, 2021); Cosmogonies: Zinsou, an African Collection (Milan: Silvana Editoriale; Montpellier: MO.CO., 2021).

Eyene was artistic director of the 5th Biennale Internationale de Casablanca (2019-2023). She was curator of the SUMMER OF PHOTOGRAPHY 2018 with RESIST! The 1960s protests, photography and visual legacy, BOZAR, Brussels. She has also organised numerous exhibitions as part of biennials and festivals including Resonances: Second Movement (Printemps de Septembre, dir. Christian Bernard), Espace Croix Baragnon, Toulouse, 2016; Murder Machine (EVA International, dir. Koyo Kouoh), Ormston House, Limerick, 2016; RESIDUAL: Traces of the black body (FORMAT International Photography Festival, dir. Louise Clements), New Art Exchange, Nottingham, 2015; WHERE WE’RE AT! Other Voices on Gender (SUMMER OF PHOTOGRAPHY 2014), BOZAR, Brussels, 2014; 10th DAK’ART – Biennale of Contemporary African Art, IFAN Museum and National Gallery, Dakar, 2012; 3rd PHOTOQUAI – Biennial of World Images (dir. Françoise Huguier), Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, 2011; Pimp My Combi (GWANZA: Month of Photography), National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare, 2011.

In 2016, she co-founded YaPhoto, a project supporting emerging photographers in Cameroon. She continues to run the online platform Yaounde Photo Network with a focus on exhibiting young Cameroonian photographers internationally. Since 2021, she has also been developing Bikoka Art Project, a new art and educational initiative dedicated to young people, women, and young creatives in Lolodorf and Bikoka, Cameroon.

Christine Eyene sits on several selection panels and advisory committees. In 2021-22, she was member of the selection committee of The London Open 2022 (Whitechapel Gallery), Jerwood/Photoworks Awards 2022, Toronto Biennial of Arts 2024. She was member of jury of the Turner Prize 2022. She is also member of the selection committee of 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair.

Languages

French
German
Italian

Degrees

1999, Pantheon-Sorbonne University, France, MPhil History of Art - Contemporary Art (D.E.A Histoire de l'Art - Art Contemporain)
1998, Pantheon-Sorbonne University, France, Masters History of Art - Contemporary Art (Maitrise Histoire de l'Art - Art Contemporain)
1997, Pantheon-Sorbonne University, France, BA/MA History of Art (Licence Histoire de l'Art)
1996, Pantheon-Sorbonne University, France, BA History of Art and Archaeology (DEUG Histoire de l'Art et Archéologie)

Academic appointments

Lecturer in Contemporary Art, School of Art and Design, Liverpool John Moores University, 2022 - present
Research Fellow in Contemporary Art, School of Arts and Media, University of Central Lancashire, 2012 - 2022