Exploring Familial Histories in African Art; Lubaina Himid Debuts Two New Bodies of Work; Spotlighting Ofunne Azinge's Practice
Family, as a social unit, has been depicted using different mediums and styles, from paintings, sculpting, photography, and mixed media. From celebrating family members to preserving shared memories, documenting our lived experiences transcends sentimentality.
Arthur Timothy, Lebohang Kganye, and Cornelius Annor, are some of the artists that have explored the family archives in African art through a plethora of themes. While Timothy’s works celebrate close family members and autobiographical events, Kganye’s practice involves sculpting experimental installations from the stories collected from her family archive, and Annor is known for capturing the Ghanaian family life in states of gathering, repose, and leisure.
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Ken Nwadiogbu Reinterprets Andy Warhol’s Absolut ‘blue’ Painting
Ken Nwadiogbu is one of five artists that have been selected to create original artworks inspired by Warhol’s Absolut ‘blue’ painting in a special exhibition, Absolut Warhol: The Other Half at the Saatchi Gallery in October (4 - 6). The London-based Nigerian artist is renowned for blending hyperrealism with contemporary concepts, creating visually striking works that explore themes of identity, displacement, and socio-political control.
It all started in 1985, when Andy Warhol was first commissioned to create an artwork based on the Absolut bottle’s silhouette. A move that is said to have birthed over 800 artworks.
The exhibition, Absolut Warhol: The Other Half, was inspired by a newly discovered Andy Warhol painting of the Absolut bottle which is now the look of the 2024 Absolut Warhol Limited Edition Bottle. Each of the selected artists' reinterpretations is expected to show fresh perspectives and creativity, while seamlessly blending the past with the present.
Make Do and Mend: Lubaina Himid Debuts Two New Bodies of Work
Lubaina Himid, renowned British-Tanzanian artist, won the 2024 Suzanne Deal Booth/FLAG Art Foundation Prize in 2022. She is currently showing two new bodies of work in a solo exhibition in collaboration with The Contemporary Austin.
In Strategy Paintings, Himid depicts Black men and women around tables that display different arrangements of objects, such as lemons, teeth, poisonous flora, etc., to highlight the acts and unclear process of decision-making and problem solving. The paintings encourage reflection on those in positions of power who make decisions far removed from our daily lives. Chairs are placed throughout the galleries, so viewers can stop and rest, ponder, and continue the conversation.
In ‘Aunties,’ the second body of work, the sixty-four plank paintings build on Himid’s previous plank works, which references the figure of ‘auntie’ and funerary objects in East African culture. This gives an insight into Himid’s ongoing interest in the politics of discarded materials.
With these two new bodies of work, Lubaina Himid emphasizes power relations, material history and social engagement. Her paintings, whether on canvas or wood plank, encourage the development of new strategies for personal comprehension and social connection.
Invitation
Artist Talk with Multidisciplinary Artist, Orry Shenjobi at Omenai Gallery
Omenai Gallery presents an engaging artist talk with multidisciplinary artist, Orry Shenjobi. Shenjobi will be in conversation with Omenai founder, Gbenro Adeyemo and moderated by Adama Ka, founder of Artenim.
Orry Shenjobi creates art that transcends the boundaries of conventional artistic expression. Her work is an immersive journey into the intricacies of individualistic identity, masterfully crafted using a diverse range of materials and techniques.
This event will also feature an intimate viewing of the ‘Hawking Heroes’ series, which is Shenjobi’s tribute to the women who hawk in Lagos traffic.
You can RSVP here.
Artist Spotlight: Ofunne Azinge
Ofunne Azinge (b.1998) is a contemporary Nigerian-British painter based in London. Her work primarily focuses on the history of post-colonialism in Nigeria and its effects on black men across the diaspora and black masculinity in painting. Azinge’s work draws from various aspects of her life including the socio-political effects of migration, nostalgia and the complexities of her upbringing.
Her large-scale paintings combine the use of her unique image transfer method, with the figures painted in a mixture of black/blue/purple hues, compilations of symbols from various generations. Her work is in the permanent collection of The Perry Art Collection, USA. Azinge was awarded The Arts Club Award, Royal Academy of Arts, in 2021.
On view:
history is a living weapon in yr hand: A solo exhibition of new work by London-based artist Onyeka Igwe comprising a two-screen film installation, A Radical Duet (2023), alongside film props and production materials. (September 28 - December 14, 2024).
Where We Coalesce: Addis Fine Art, Addis Ababa and Vigo Gallery, London presents a solo exhibition of paintings by Ethiopian artist Tadesse Mesfin featuring works from the last four years. (September 15 – November 30, 2024).
Between Two Suns: A solo exhibition of recent paintings exploring the third space by Nigerian artist Luke Agada at Roberts Projects. (September 28 - November 2, 2024).
