December 06, 2024 - December 08, 2024
Exhibiting Artists: Fiker Solomon, Richard Atugonza, Sanaa Gateja
In an exciting collaboration, Afriart Gallery joins forces with Rele Gallery to present a joint booth at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024. Based on opposite sides of the continent, this partnership represents a significant cultural exchange that highlights the richness and diversity of contemporary African art. The joint presentation features six distinguished artists hailing from various regions across Africa, each of whom draws inspiration from their local communities and environments.
Afriart will present work by Fiker Solomon (Ethiopia), Richard Atugonza (Uganda) and Sanaa Gateja (Uganda), whilst Rele Gallery will show work by Agnes Waruguru (Kenya), Yoma Emore (Nigeria) and Sedireng Mothibatsela (Botswana).
The featured artists utilize a wide array of materials that are deeply rooted in their cultural contexts. From vibrant African wax prints to unconventional mediums such as charcoal residue, sawdust, discarded paper, jute bags, fiber, and bark cloth, these creators challenge the traditional boundaries of artistic expression. By moving away from conventional Western materials like canvas and paper—mediums that have long been associated with a Eurocentric art historical narrative—the artists forge new pathways for storytelling through their work.
This innovative approach not only reflects their individual artistic practices but also serves as a commentary on broader themes pertinent to their communities. Each material chosen carries significant weight, symbolizing aspects of care for the environment, preservation of tradition, and social responsibility. The use of locally sourced materials underscores a commitment to sustainability and environmental protection while simultaneously celebrating the unique cultural heritage of each artist’s background.
Fiker Solomon’s (b. 1995, Ethiopia) work is a reflection on the cyclical nature of our feelings and needs, mirroring the changing seasons. Recognizing our indispensable role and connection to the natural world, working with natural and biodegradable materials is not just an appreciation and paying respect to the latter, but also motivated by the versatility of its inherent properties. The creative process of working with textiles itself holds significant meaning for the artist, as it is a skill she initially learned from her mother who would craft embroideries. She later took the traditional skill beyond the decorative and functional realm.
Richard Atugonza (b.1994, Uganda) experiments with waste materials such as sawdust, charcoal residue, and dried grass. In this making process, the subject matter and materiality fuse people and environment. He explores the human experience and our inextricable entanglements with the natural world around us. As a point of departure, he draws upon his own experiences and those of his models, whose stories, struggles and emotions he shares with us in form of sculptures.
Sanaa Gateja (b. 1947, Uganda) is a mixed-media artist and jewelry designer who is widely known for his signature incorporation of recycled man-made waste materials in his practice. He also works with bark cloth, paper, raffia, wood and banana fiber, using his materials to construct medium-scale to large experimental abstract pieces that straddle installation, tapestry and sculpture. Gateja allows the material to speak in its own micro-cosmos and ‘weaves’ them into abstract narratives commenting on social and political realities in his home country Uganda.
Moreover, this exhibition plays a crucial role in deconstructing colonial narratives that have historically marginalized African voices in the global art scene. By foregrounding materials that are often overlooked or deemed insignificant within mainstream art discourse, these artists invite viewers to reconsider preconceived notions about value and authenticity in art. Their works challenge common conceptions surrounding both the materials they employ and the stories they tell, fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities inherent in contemporary African identities.
https://www.artbasel.com/miami-beach
