Nelson Makamo Debuts His First Solo Exhibition in the US
Acclaimed South African artist Nelson Makamo opened his first independent solo US exhibition and presented his latest body of work Blue at Los Angeles’ Art District. The Limpopo born artist was supported by celebrities like Sean Combs, who held a dinner for the event while others like Tiffany Haddish, Ferrari Sheppard, BJ the Chicago Kid, Robert Lang, Sho Madjozi and others were in attendance.
Currently one of the world’s most sought-after visual artists of our generation, the 39-year-old artist has managed to place himself on a global stage with his iconic artistic signature.
Nelson’s work is strongly influenced by the candid innocence of youth and speaks to his re-imagining of what it means to be African. He is particularly drawn to people of rural South Africa, as he believes they embody the peace and harmony we all strive for in life. As he continues to evolve, so too does his medium of expression; namely charcoal, acrylic, oil paint, water colours, monotypes and lithography. He naturally refrains from planning his pieces, opting instead for the canvas and the day’s inspiration to lead him.
“With the latest piece of work […] we don’t only want to share our story, but invite people to the exhibition to be a part of the conversation,” said Nelson. As much as I live on the African continent, I don’t want my work to only have a frame of where I live in South Africa. I want my work to resonate with people from all walks of life, from different races and backgrounds, the global community at large. It’s about connecting artists on a global platform through this exhibition. And lastly like all my previous work, the underlined theme of this exhibition is about hope. When you think about the future, you think “hope”. [I’m] looking forward to how the world received Blue!”
The alluring shades of blue in Nelson’s collection invite interpretations of an aquatic significance. As a representation of water, the colour blue can be seen as a way to cleanse away those dreary and melancholy representations of black children in texts of photojournalism, anthropology or those used by NGO’s to raise funds for certain causes. These images, often taken under a Western gaze, have a way of eliciting feelings like sadness, shame, fear and a sense of hopelessness. In Nelson’s oil paintings, however, those images of children are purified from those negative projections. Even the colour blue is transformed from its mainstream interpretations of sad, clinical and cold and into something that’s far more rich, dynamic and inviting.
The blue might encourage the feeling of wonderment that’s also present ocean-viewing or clear blue sky-gazing. It’s serene, thought-provoking and incredibly inspiring.
Do you have any thoughts or interpretations of Nelson Makamo’s latest artwork?. Let us know in the comment section below.
More images from opening night…
