Today starts 1-54 Hong Kong, ‘Coalescent Lights’, the first iteration in Asia, on display until March 30th.
Artists such as Ouattara Watts, Barthélémy Toguo, Sanaa Gateja, Zanele Muholi, Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Tesfaye Urgessa, Tariku Shiferaw, and Ibrahim Mahama present their works in this contemporary African Art Fair.
Ouattara Watts, an Ivorian-American artist, combines contemporary and ancestral mediums in his paintings, exploring African cosmology and alchemy. Influenced by Malevich and Rothko, Watts’ work transcends religious and cultural divides, showcasing his unique artistic language and transcending physical boundaries.
Barthélémy Toguo, a Cameroonian artist, creates diverse art spanning Bandjou and Paris. He uses vivid watercolour blue inks to depict human interaction with nature, addressing ecological and societal issues. Toguo’s work highlights the symbiosis between humanity and nature, addressing water scarcity and promoting a peaceful existence.
Sanaa Gateja, a multimedia artist from Uganda, creates innovative soft sculptures using recycled paper beads and bark cloth. His work explores East Africa’s historical and spiritual roots, and addresses contemporary issues like development and climate change.
Zanele Muholi, a visual activist from Durban and Cape Town, documents LGBTQI+ experiences and adversities through portraits, photographs, calligraphy, installations, paintings, and sculptures. Their work addresses black South African women workers, violence, and identity themes, aiming to rewrite South Africa’s black queer and trans visual history.
Wura-Natasha Ogunji, a Nigerian-American artist, creates contemplative, introspective works using hand-sewn figures on architectural tracing paper. She explores human experience and emotion, connecting imagination with human experience. Ogunji’s work explores women’s visibility and roles in Lagos, using paper as a veil between reality and potentiality.
Tesfaye Urgessa, born in Addis Ababa, creates works blending classical art with Ethiopian iconography to address social and political themes. He studied at the Alle School of Fine Arts and the Staatlichen Akademie der Bildenden Kunst in Germany. Urgessa’s “No Country for Young Men” series explores migration themes, emphasizing the arduous paths taken by refugees.
Tariku Shiferaw, an Ethiopian artist, is known for his geometric abstractions and mark-making. His recent work, “Bantu Migration,” explores the mythology of the night sky and the contributions of the diaspora. The piece challenges colonial divisions and symbolizes freedom and expansive movement, inviting viewers to envision a world where cultural contributions are recognized.
Ibrahim Mahama, a Ghanaian artist, creates large-scale installations using repurposed materials. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts from KNUST, influenced by Karî’kachä Seid’ou and Robert Rauschenberg. Mahama’s works highlight historical and economic themes, and he was awarded the Prince Claus Award in 2020.
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