Marcus Jefferson

Marcus Jefferson is a London-based artist whose work explores the complexities of identity shaped by class, race, and cultural contrast. Growing up in Queens Crescent, Camden, he experienced a mix of social worlds, using art as a tool to bridge these divides. His practice focuses on the realities of inner-city life—known as “Road”—examining how its struggles are both commodified and glamorised in mainstream culture. Jefferson combines humour and critique to reflect on this paradox, drawing on personal experience and the visual language of survival. Materials like cling film, plastic bags, and tin foil—objects associated with concealment and utility—are repurposed into formal art contexts, mimicking how elements of Road culture are packaged for public consumption. His work questions who gets to define value, visibility, and authenticity. ...

Harlesden High Street was founded with the mission of facilitating access between experimental/outsider artists and the traditional gallery system. Working across several spaces in London, the gallery exhibits contemporary art by both local and international artists with a focus on exhibiting work by people of colour. In addition to its gallery programme, Harlesden High Street also hosts a cultural outreach programme with an aim to engage audiences in un-gentrified neighborhoods, through workshops, talks and artist initiatives. In 2023, the gallery also co-founded Minor Attractions, an inclusive micro-fair that gives access to both London and international galleries during Frieze week. ...