Across Borders - 2019

• ‘Voces del mañana’: Arteria y el arte emergente en Chiapas | ‘Voices of Tomorrow’: Arteria and Emerging Art in Chiapas

  December 7, 2019 |   by Adrián Ibelles    

  We are happy to share artworks and words by young artists from the Mexican state of Chiapas.

  Welcome to Emergent Art Space to all of you!!  And many thanks to Adrián Ibelles for the article!

  

  San Cristóbal de Las Casas es una ciudad que se va creando en el subconsciente. Quien llega a ella, no lo hace por casualidad; alguna recomendación habrá de por medio, un aviso tajante; “te va a encantar”, el más modesto de ellos. Custodiada por montañas frondosas e imponentes, uno se ve reflejado en sus expectativas, que generalmente se cumplen. El olor a café, a lluvia, y su ubicación a más de 2,000 metros sobre el nivel del mar confunden a cualquiera, esta ciudad recuerda a aquella que solo se había visitado en sueños. 

  

  Es en este marco cultural que las artes se van definiendo como entes vivos; son híbridos entre el legado maya que les enriquece -sin olvidar el tormento de la conquista-, y a su vez una proximidad a componentes sociales y políticos contemporáneos, tales como el movimiento Zapatista. Lo que resulta de este sincretismo es un arte cargado de identidad y sentido, cuya voz lo mismo define e incomoda a la sociedad. 

  En medio de condiciones tan idóneas para la creación artística, hacía falta un lugar que sirviera como un aleph de ideas, sueños y discursos. Un lugar donde cupiera toda la inmensa colección de íconos prehispánicos, de técnicas modernas, de materias primas endémicas. 

  Arteria surge en 2014 como esa propuesta. El objetivo fue desde sus inicios, conjuntar la actividad tradicional de galería de arte con un espacio dedicado a la realización de proyectos enfocados a la problematización del contexto local, nacional e internacional a través del arte. 

  

  Con esta idea de por medio, Arteria trabaja con artistas emergentes, artistas urbanos y de comunidades originarias de Chiapas, proporcionándoles además de la galería, un taller equipado para el trabajo en distintas disciplinas. Como parte del programa de residencia artísticas, el equipo de Arteria selecciona 6 artistas anualmente, los cuales trabajan en el taller, en donde intercambian ideas y redefinen su visión artística, para finalizar en una exposición realizada en alguno de los espacios artísticos gestionados por Arteria. 

  A lo largo de 5 años, más de 250 artistas han formado parte del proyecto que lleva a cabo Arteria, con propuestas sólidas, tanto en su originalidad como en su desarrollo creativo. 

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  San Cristóbal de Las Casas is a city that is created in the subconscious. Those who come to it, do not do it by chance; some recommendation will have ensued, a sharp statement: "You'll love it," being the most modest of them. Kept by leafy and imposing mountains, the visitors see themselves reflected in their expectations, which are generally met. The smell of coffee, rain, and its location more than 2,000 meters above sea level confuse anyone, this city evokes what has only been visited in dreams.

  It is in this cultural framework that the arts are defined as living entities; they are hybrids among the Mayan legacy that enriches them - without forgetting the torment of the conquest - and in turn a proximity to contemporary social and political components, such as the Zapatista movement. What results from this syncretism is an art full of identity and meaning, whose voice defines and discomforts the same society.

  In the midst of such suitable conditions for artistic creation, a place that served as an aleph of ideas, dreams and speeches was missing: a place where all the immense collection of pre-Hispanic icons, modern techniques, and endemic raw materials could be accomodated.

  ‘Arteria’ emerges in 2014 as that proposal. The objective was from the moment of its inception, to combine the traditional activity of art gallery with a space dedicated to the realization of projects focused on the problematization of the local, national and international context through art.

  

  With this idea, Arteria works with emerging artists, urban artists and communities from Chiapas, providing them, in addition to the gallery, with a workshop equipped for work in distinct disciplines. As part of the artistic residency program, the Arteria team selects 6 artists annually, who work in the workshop, where they exchange ideas and redefine their artistic vision, to conclude in an exhibition held in one of the artistic spaces managed by Arteria.  Over 5 years, more than 250 artists have been part of the project carried out by Arteria, with solid proposals, both in originality and creative development.

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  Arte y encuentro 

  Angélica López (1994) es una artista originaria de Comitán de Domínguez, ciudad ubicada en el sur del estado de Chiapas. Fue una de las artistas seleccionadas dentro del programa de residencias en 2019, que culminó con su exposición “De la naturaleza al paisaje femenino” en la que López generó un discurso en torno a la feminidad y a la construcción social contemporánea de esta. Sobre su proceso creativo en esta residencia, Angélica menciona: 

  "Colaborar con Arteria Galería ha significado un proceso importante en mi desempeño profesional como artista mujer en el estado de Chiapas. Me permitió involucrarme en

  el mercado del arte al poder exhibir y vender obras, posibilidad a la que muchas veces es difícil de acceder. Además de permitirme mostrar una propuesta plástica que gira en torno a lo femenino. 

  Considero importante la oportunidad que Arteria otorga a jóvenes locales para exhibir el trabajo que se realiza en la región y que hablan de un contexto en específico. 

  De tal forma Arteria Galería contribuye a generar una identidad sobre la región, al mostrar las diversas manifestaciones plásticas y visuales creadas por las nuevas generaciones." 

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  Art and Meeting - Young Residency Artists

  Angélica López (1994) is an artist originally from Comitán de Domínguez, a city located in the south of the state of Chiapas. She was one of the artists selected within the residency program in 2019.  She culminated the residency with her exhibition “From nature to the feminine landscape” in which López generated a discourse about femininity and its contemporary social construction.

  On her creative process in this residence, Angelica mentions:

  'Collaborating with Arteria Gallery has been an important process in my professional performance as a female artist in the state of Chiapas. It allowed me to get involved in the art market to be able to display and sell works, a possibility that is often difficult to access. In addition, it has allowed me to show a project using plastic media that revolves around the feminine.

  

  I consider important the opportunity that Arteria grants to local youth to exhibit the work that is carried out in the region and that speak of its specific context.

  In this way Arteria Gallery contributes to generating an identity about the region, by showing the various visual and plastic manifestations created by the new generations.'

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  Al igual que Angélica, otro de los artistas que formaron parte del colectivo artístico de Arteria fue Mr. Cien, artista originario de San Cristóbal de Las Casas que se ha caracterizado por su trabajo como muralista y artista plástico.

  "El trabajar con Arteria, es grande, ya que el lugar y las personas que conforman a esta galería alimentan al creador y observador, desde el otorgar espacios para exponer a nuevos artistas chiapanecos o al arte joven, hasta la convivencia dada dentro y fuera de esta. 

  Ha sido satisfactorio poder colaborar y exponer en ciertas ocasiones, y seguir dentro de la comunidad creativa que conforma Arteria Galería." 

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  Like Angelica, another artist who was part of the Arteria art collection was Mr. Cien, an artist originally from San Cristobal de Las Casas who has been characterized by his work as a muralist and a plastic artist.  He comments:

  'Working with Arteria is grand, considering that the place and the people that make up this gallery feed the creator and observer, from granting spaces to expose new Chiapas artists or young art, to the coexistence given inside and outside of this space.

  It has been satisfying to be able to collaborate and exhibit on certain occasions, and to continue within the creative community that makes up Arteria Gallery.'

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  Heber González Rodríguez nació en 1991 en Tapalapa, Chiapas, artista hablante de la lengua zoque, produjo en 2018 cerca de 30 obras durante su residencia con Arteria Taller. 

  "Es muy importante que haya un espacio para jóvenes emergentes, como este taller, que nos permita acercarnos a la gente que busca nuevas propuestas artísticas. 

  A mí el arte me ha permitido transmitir mi lengua materna, la indumentaria de mi pueblo, mostrar el cuerpo de la mujer empoderada y compartir mis raíces. Y por eso creo que debe haber más espacios para los artistas jóvenes." 

  De las decenas de artistas participantes del taller, varios han emigrado a otros lugares de México e incluso internacionalmente, explorando nuevos panoramas en su labor artística, y dejando una huella por su paso en el ambiente cultural de Chiapas. 

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  Heber González Rodríguez was born in 1991 in Tapalapa, Chiapas, as an artist fluent in the Zoque language, he produced about 30 works during his residency with Arteria Workshop in 2018.  He states: 

  

  'It is very important that there is a space for emerging youth, such as this workshop, that allows us to approach people who are looking for new artistic proposals.

  Art has allowed me to transmit my mother tongue and the clothing of my people, to display the body of the empowered woman and share my roots. This is why I think there should be more spaces for young artists.'

  Of the dozens of artist participants from the workshop, several have emigrated to other places in Mexico and even internationally, exploring new panoramas in their artistic work, and leaving a mark on their passage in the cultural environment of Chiapas.

   

   

   

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  Compartir el arte 

  Arteria trabaja activamente con otros dos proyectos, ambos coordinados por jóvenes artistas que buscan replicar el modelo de célula que ha popularizado Arteria en la ciudad. 

  Trip Ass es dirigida por Carlos Cea, Teraz Patuano y Erick Rizo, tres artistas chiapanecos con un estilo hermanado con el street art, quienes han colaborado en más de 100 intervenciones murales en toda la ciudad, y cuya producción de ilustraciones, pinturas y otros medios es igual de numerosa.

  

   Tras formar parte del proyecto de residencias de Arteria Galería, emprendieron su propia galería. En este lugar se exhiben piezas en pequeño y gran formato, de gran atractivo por su estilo único y contemporáneo. 

  Por otra parte, Pukuj Nucú sirve como epicentro para la producción gráfica en la ciudad y sus alrededores. La coordinadora, Montserrat Blanco, es una artista multidisciplinaria nacida en Veracruz pero que trabaja en San Cristóbal de Las Casas. Blanco ha reunido el trabajo de diferentes artistas emergentes y consolidados, cuyas técnicas, temas y medios son plurales al tiempo que generan un panorama estilístico de la gráfica contemporánea chiapaneca. 

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  Sharing Art

  Arteria actively works with two other projects, both coordinated by young artists who seek to replicate the cell model that has popularized Arteria in the city.

  Trip-Ass is directed by Carlos Cea, Teraz Patuano and Erick Rizo, three Chiapas artists with a style twinned with street art, who have collaborated on more than 100 mural interventions throughout the city, and whose production of illustrations, paintings and other media is equally as numerous. After being part of the Arteria Gallery residency project, they undertook their own gallery. In this place pieces are displayed in small and large format, very attractive for its unique and contemporary style.

  Pukuj Nucú serves as an epicenter for graphic production in the city and its surroundings. The coordinator, Montserrat Blanco, is a multidisciplinary artist born in Veracruz but working in San Cristóbal de Las Casas. Blanco has brought together the work of different emerging and consolidated artists, whose techniques, themes and media are plural, while generating a stylistic panorama of contemporary Chiapas graphics.

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  Cultura y comunidad 

  San Cristóbal es un sitio lleno de magia y de arte. Es importante que existan espacios que apoyen propuestas de artistas cuya obra refleje las relaciones entre el arte y el contexto en que se produce encontrando así un impacto directo en la comunidad -relacionada y no con las artes- de la región, para así generar nuevas interpretaciones del capital cultural y que de igual forma se traduzcan en acervo cultural a una escala mayor. 

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  Culture and Community

  San Cristóbal is a place full of magic and art. It is important that spaces exist where the proposals of artists are supported whose works reflect the relationship between art and the context in which it is produced, thus finding a direct impact on the community, related and not, to the arts of the region, in order to generate new interpretations of cultural capital and in the same way to translate it into cultural heritage on a larger scale.

   

   

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  Adrián Ibelles es un escritor y entusiasta del arte nacido en la Ciudad de Mexico en 1991. Estudió la licenciatura en Ciencias de la Comunicación en la Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí. Ha publicado relatos para revistas como Buriñón (Venezuela), Himen (MX), Penumbria (MX) y Bon Voyage (MX). En 2018 publicó el libro “El último truco” (Editorial UASLP). Ha sido autor de textos curatoriales para diversas exposiciones en San Cristóbal de Las Casas, donde ahora reside. También escribe cuentos y poesía para niños.

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  Adrián Ibelles is a writer and art enthusiast born in Mexico City in 1991. He received a degree in Communication Sciences at the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí and has published stories for magazines such as Buriñón (Venezuela), Himen (MX), Penumbria (MX) and Bon Voyage (MX). In 2018 he published the book “The Last Trick” (Editorial UASLP) and currently authors curatorial texts for various exhibitions in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, where he now resides. Adrián also writes stories and poetry for children.

   

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  Contacto/Contact

  www.arteriachiapas.com 

  Instagram: @arteriachiapas | @tripass_galeria | @pukujnucugaleria | @Adrian_Ibelles

   

• Ije Art Movement | Awka, Nigeria

  August 3, 2019 |   by Asiegbu Collins   

  Ije Art Movement is a small art group of 5 founding member young artists, motivated by telling the stories of African realities through art. It was launched 2 years ago in Awka, Anambra state, Nigeria. The group organizes a themed exhibition annually and moves the exhibition to other locations within the country.

  Through their artistic expression, Ije Art Movement hopes to enlighten the society about cultural values that upholds the virtues of communal life, which the wisdom the forefathers left behind. By so doing, it aims at engendering a society that is more conscious and socially accommodating for the growth and progress of all.

   

  The Artists

  

  Sculptor/Environmentalist

  Njoku Moses creates sculptural works with a variety of media and believes that an artist is like a mirror to the society, therefore working with the mindset that his art will have a positive impact on the general public. However, his personal style addresses social and environmental issues both thematically and in use of materials.  His artistic style takes inspiration from the limitless abundance of sculpture media to create works of art that showcase the concepts of repurposing, reusing and environmental sustainability. He strives to create works that support nature and better living environment for all.

   

   

  

  Painter/Psychologist

  Dumebi Okuagu is a young psychologist and artist. He is passionate about his profession(s) and dreams of merging psychology with his art. His passion was born out of a need to awaken the consciousness of mental health awareness in his community and the world at large. He has chosen to use art because he believes it is a universal language and is the language he best expresses himself with. Taking advantage of the therapeutic powers of art to touch as many lives as possible has always been his drive.

   

   

   

  Architect/Lecturer

  Chinelo Jenifer Enemuo is a Nigerian based Urban Design Architect, Arts Curator and Creative Storyteller. She's the founder of Nelen Studios: a creative arts space in Awka, Anambra State, in the eastern part of Nigeria which currently partners with local creatives of varying art genres to produce unique and Afro-centric content that is of global significance and value. She also teaches Urban and Regional planning at a Federal University of technology here in Nigeria.

   

   

   

   

  

  Fashion and textile artist

  Ugochukwu Ifedioramma Dike is a Textile Artist with an epic fiber and textile art pedigree. He is the son of renowned artist, Late Dr. Ifedioramma Dike who was a stalwart figure in Nigerian contemporary art scene. Having participated in several exhibitions, he continues to evolve in an experimental approach to his practice, incorporating and exploring different media with particular interest in textiles. Inspired by the strides of his father, he now carries on a vibrant art legacy through his works as he seeks to explore the all-important relevance of textiles to man.

   

   

  

  Sculptor/Ink Drawing

  Asiegbu Collins is a young vibrant sculptor with an appreciable rendition of human forms in metal inspired by different kinds of dance styles, body movements and how the human form interprets its interesting flow. For him, artists are the keepers of time and that is what inspires him to explore and document with his art the concept of different native dance styles. He finds time to scribble thoughts and feelings with his Red ink. Stylistically with his subject of interest, he can be classified as a contemporary artist who reflects the enrichments of his generation.

   

   

   

  The Work

  

  I Don’t Care is a relief sculpture made from plastic waste. It alludes to the current state of cultural decadence and nonchalant attitude of the younger population to the cultural values that is shared as a collective identity by the community. This concept is portrayed by the sarcastic pose of the female figure at the center of the piece and by the use of the native ‘Abriba’ men’s cap she dons, which is in itself an abuse of dress code as accepted by the society. Then surrounding her are motifs driven from contemporary and topical issues that act as a distraction to the young people in Nigeria, such as phones, cars, private jets, Benz, betting, fashion, money and so on. Also, the artistic medium used to raise awareness on the global impact of inappropriate use and disposal of wastes and thereby pointing towards reusing and repurposing as some of the ways forward.  

   

   

  Learning Disorder

  

  Did you know that one in every six children is Dyslexic?

  With this ratio, it is unfair to continue with the status quo as regards to our educational system pretending these do not exist. Learning disabilities may manifest in the form of dyslexia, dyscalculia, or Dysgraphia. The amazing thing is that these children have their areas of strength, they often have a good imagination and can learn best when they are given extra time and attention.

  I am dyslexic and with a better knowledge of my difficulties, I can manage it better now. A troubled child is a troubled nation.

   

  

   

   

  Working in Parallel

  How many faces can you see?

  Believing that the precursor to chasing destiny is, first of all, acknowledging one’s strengths and weaknesses, this captures what I have come to consider as my greatest strength, a 50:50 application of both sides of my brain, as revealed by an IQ test. In this piece, I portray the left side of the brain (known to be analytical, logical, organized and sequential) fusing equally with the right side of the brain (known to be creative, imaginative, intuitive, conceptual and heuristic) to blossom into a beautiful creation, represented by the rose.

   

   

   

  

  Shaku

  The Nigerian music industry has experienced rapid growth and evolution over the past two decades. The evolution of Nigerian dance series is a documentary that attempts to capture some of the popular contemporary dance styles that have helped shape the industries over the years.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  

   

  Agboho muo is an age-long native character of the Igbos in eastern Nigeria which exhibits her performances at special events, entertaining its audience with her beautiful mask and lovely body decorated with vibrant colored materials. But unique things of the sort are gradually going down the drain when they should be an inspiration for an improved tomorrow. So with my artistic expression, I decided to document these characters and their uniqueness and hope it stimulates an evolutions process for our contemporary times to develop on.

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Ije's first outing organized by Action Aid Art for Development

   

  This year's exhibition titled 'Culture' hoped to showcase our values and norms as a people. Culture being a people's way of life has inspired the theme and artistic expressions taking place in 2 or 3-dimensional works that were created to further portray the artists' views on how culture has helped the growth or stagnated the society.

  

     

      

     

      

                                               

   

• Rise of the African Female Artist: Exploring Spaces and Dialogue

  May 6, 2019 |   by Valerie Amani   

  Highlighting African women's voices and visuals, EAS contributor from Tanzania, Valerie Amani, shows the emerging of a new avant-garde of powerful works that challenge the status quo and the ways women have been traditionally portrayed.

   

  

  For the better half of the 20th century, among the many human rights' movements dedicated to equality and inclusion, universal rights for women has been at the forefront.

  Walking through an alleyway full of “African Art” in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, most of the images you find are either of wildlife, or a woman carrying a child, or a woman carrying a pot, or a woman gazing into the savannah. All images brought to life by the brushstrokes of a man. No wonder why these common pieces depicting women never actually engage with important aspects of the current and diverse African female narrative.

  Balance for better. This was the theme for this year's International Women's Day - as an effort to promote a more gender-balanced world in all professional fields, including art. The visual art scenes in South and East Africa have been male dominated; women usually being pushed towards crafts such as beading and weaving - but a growing wave of contemporary, fearless female African artists has opened the way for narratives about women to be reclaimed by women. In light of the necessity for room to create female fueled artworks. There have been various platforms that have emerged with the sole purpose of encouraging and uplifting this essential movement.

   

  The Project Space - Nurturing Female Art & Dialogue

  

  The Project Space exhibition space in Johannesburg, South Africa

   

  One of the spaces that specifically nurture female art, and the dialogues that come from them, is The Project Space (South Africa), located in the heart of the bustling and hustling Jo’burg. The project was a response to a 2010 national research study finding that only 3% of women of colour (Black, Indian and Coloured) made a living from creating art in South Africa - a figure that probably diminishes throughout other African states. Over a coffee with Director, Aysha Waja, we discussed the conception of this space, which provides dynamic artist residencies to African female artists, along with why the future of African art needs more spaces like this.

  After asking her a bit about how the space was started Aysha said: “Well, our founder is Benon Lutaaya who (was) an amazing artist, who felt like there needed to be more opportunities for African female artists. It just started off as a young female residency award which was given to one finalist whose work was shown at the Cape Town Art Fair. As we have been growing, we have also evolved the way we run our program.  So now we have one winner and 3 semi-finalists and we show all of their work at the art fair. The program takes place over a period of about 6 months. We mentor them and we have sessions where we invite other people to join."

   

  Work by Alka Dass at The Project Space                                                              Work in progress by Asemahle Ntlonti at The Project Space

   

  On discussing how much guidance and curation goes into the program, Aysha explained that they try not to interfere too much with the artist's process, but rather help out with ideas if the artist seems to be unsure of things. “We look into what they are trying to do and see how we can help them best realize that.  It is best if they can learn how to better analyze the work and push through the challenges” she says. Because the residency space is located in an area with plenty of art stimuli, such as galleries and other artists studios, they always have access to a dynamic group of people they can talk to."

  Aisha goes on to comment about the process when they exhibit the artists' work at an art fair:

  “The only thing I really curate is the booth at the Art Fair [Cape Town & Johannesburg] - which can be tricky because you have an idea of how the booth looks and you get there and it’s like, “Wooph, this is not what I imagined!”  She ends by commenting on the benefits these opportunities have brought the artist who have gone through their program, such as Alka Dass (South Africa) and Stacey Gillian Abe (Uganda) - who have received international recognition and gallery representation as a result.

   

  The Female Narrative

  Other conversations around this topic were had with Zimbabwean multi-media artist Kresiah Mukwazhi, while she was on residency at Nafasi Art Space, Tanzania. Kresiah's work has been mostly centered around the female narrative, especially with the relationships women have with their bodies - touching on themes of sexuality and gender-based violence.

   

  Kresiah Mukwazhi on Residence at Nafasi Art Space, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

   

  

  Kresiah acknowledges the fact that most female artists struggle to continue with their practice, especially after having children, with the greater part of the responsibility of raising the child falling upon them. She also disagrees with the notion of having special “women's exhibitions” stating:  “Why should there be only one or two special events per year particularly for female artists? The titles for these exhibitions are mostly predictable. They almost always have something to do with emotions and ‘softness’. I would want to see broader subject matter. Why can't we integrate more female artists in group exhibitions?” She ends by saying what I think most female artists would agree with: “I just want to be included in an exhibition purely based on the strength of my work, not the fact that I am a woman”.

  

   

  Shaming the Shamers

  Elizabeth Emannuel is a mid-career, Tanzanian photographer who has recently tackled the issue of menstruation as a taboo through her art. Her work is both illuminating and daring, boldly shaming the shamers who have instilled feelings of embarrassment over something so natural. On asking Elizabeth about her experience as a female photographer in Tanzania she said:

  “If you see Tanzanian photographers that are doing well, it's mainly wedding photographers and males. So as a female photographer, I constantly have to go the extra mile to look for opportunities that fall within my line of interest and passion. Even if a woman is doing a greater job than her male counterpart, female artists have to work extra for their voices to be heard in a patriarchal society.”

   

  The Thread:  Connecting Voices of Young African Female Artists

  It is a fallacy to assume that the opinions of few are a true reflection of the views of many, every artist has their own unique journeys and challenges that lay before them. However, there is an apparent thread intricately tying together the voices of young African female artists - the desire to tell stories that are personal, familiar and, above all, real stories.

   

  *In memory of Benon Lutaaya, founder of The Project Space, who passed away on Saturday 13 April 2019.

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  Valerie Amani is a fashion designer and visual artist based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania with a passion for writing. She is currently the Visual Art Program manager at Nafasi Art Space, one of the leading contemporary art platform in the country, while designing for her fashion brand Kahvarah. She uses digital platforms to share her art and writing and is currently working on developing a program that will educate and support young female artists in Tanzania.

  Instagram: @ardonaxela

• ‘Navigating New York City: Havens and Happenstance’ – Part 2

  March 20, 2019 |   by Uji Venkat   

  Emergent Art Space artist and contributor Uji Venkat, who lives in San Francisco, California, shares the excitement of visiting New York and discovering beauty in famous art masterpieces as well as in small details of city life and living nature amidst the concrete and the skyscrapers.

   

  

  

  I spent my third morning traipsing around the lively Manhattan. After lunch with Vino at a narrow little patisserie, Via Quadrono, I headed to the Guggenheim. From the outside, it was an odd round shape and stark white. It was something like a blank canvas whose frame was cut horribly wrong but in perfect curves before being stretched by a master craftsman. Inside, I was reminded of a peeled orange. The spiraling ramp was enclosed by a white banister circling all the way to the top, the skylight giving way to warm light emitted between each floor.

  I moseyed through the modern art section with Caroline, my film student friend, She is very attracted to the pieces where you have to find your own meaning and nothing seems clear. Not me; I like boundaries. My details of notice revolved around the golden water fountains and spotless continuity of white walls. We floated into the impressionist room beginning with Seurat and my excitement mounted.

  

  I saw my coveted piece, my six year wish, from across the room under an archway. It was Pablo Picasso’s 1904 Woman Ironing or La Repasseuse. The piece stands less than four feet high, just over a meter, and yet its presence is imposing. I gravitated closer. All the other pieces, the walls in front and around it, the troupe of people faded away. The art took center stage in it’s muted gray-blue finish, characteristic of Picasso’s melancholy and expressive blue period. From several meters away, I could see the trace of orange along her angled shoulder blade, down the curve of her back, and lining the underside of her right arm. Staring at this piece in textbooks and computer images for years, I could not have identified that almost glow in the way that I could in this moment. While her sullen work-worn face is very telling, her eyes are closed and in dark shadow. It is her posture that strikes me most. Yellow tones of the woman’s skin bluntly offset the depressive shadows and concavities of her body, but that warm rigid highlight offers a glimmer of vivacity. At the time, Picasso was relatively unknown and working in poverty, but the minimal scintillating color gives insight into the life he so keenly observed. Picasso’s blue period was characterized by the desolation of social outsiders and his own depression, as much as it also portrayed the twentieth century avant garde.

  

  Inspired and in love with the creativity that people in history have shared, that I have the privilege of witnessing, Caroline and I made our way to Central Park. We soaked up the view of the water and skyline at golden hour before heading to dinner in the Flatiron District, named for the landmarked triangular, 22-story steel framed building.

  

  In the following days, I wandered through the posh designer streets of SoHo gawking at street art, dabbled in the musically rich Harlem, and toured the daunting Ivy League Campus of Columbia University back on the Upper West Side.

  On my last day, I landed in the Museum of Modern Art, overwhelmed with excitement to see my favorite impressionist and post-impressionist works including Signac, Seurat, Cezanne, and Monet. Though the Signac I based a college art class painting after, Portrait of Félix Fénéon, was not on view, the masters did not disappoint. Monet’s water lilies occupied two entire walls with a continuous canvas and it was breathtaking. His strokes and soft, settled hues breathed fresh cool air back into my body.

  

  After making a first pass by the crowd at Starry Night, I circled back around for a closer look. As I saw tourists and natives snapping precisely angled photographs and selfies, I pulled out my own phone to snap a photo, when I stopped myself midway. Why did I have this need to document the piece? Surely the world wide web and the MoMA site in particular had better quality photographs than my rushed capture. And what was I thinking about while I captured this piece? Was there adequate time for me to absorb the essence of the creation in front of me? I dropped my phone back into my bag and took a step back away from the crowd off to the side. My unobstructed view of the piece sunk me into the fantasy and idealism of the oil painting. I felt the turns of strokes turn in me, the light of the stars shining upon me, the window view vast before me.

  I meandered to the exterior of the museum--dark reflective walls, statue garden, greenery, sleek cement, and minimalist waterfall--I breathed in a cool fall breeze and tried to refocus my attention on capturing the moment with my emotions and mind, as opposed to the image itself. Everything I remember, I remember because of the way it makes me feel.

  

  Finding myself lost again getting back to the airport, I ran into the “HOPE” sign and the “LOVE” sign. Eventually, I found my way and successfully boarded my flight to leave the magical Manhattan. After spending the day alone, the lingering thought remained that my serendipitous run-ins reminded me just how loved and hopeful I felt. I had just had my first all nighter at the new job, someone I love was ill, and I was navigating the exhausting twenty something’s social life. But how lucky was I to get to see the art, a few of my favorite people, and a new city all in one week. New York City, in all its hustle and bustle, reminded me to search a little deeper, look at the glass half full, and find love wherever it is.

   

  The End

   

  ---

  Uji Venkat: By day, my life revolves around STEAM education in tech; by night, I steal away for my creative passions of drawing, painting, and writing. My art has ranged from scientific illustrations for my thesis on zebrafish retinal development to adorning blank walls on a Tuesday night. Pragmatism and spirit often conflict within me; yet, as I have pursued my art practice, I have found that I thrive in the moments when I follow my creative impulses. Roused by the vibrant city of San Francisco, I now find myself immersed in the creativity that surrounds me.

• ‘Navigating New York City: Havens and Happenstance’ – Part 1

  March 14, 2019 |   by Uji Venkat   

  Emergent Art Space artist and contributor Uji Venkat, who lives in San Francisco, California, shares the excitement of visiting New York and discovering beauty in famous art masterpieces as well as in small details of city life and living nature amisdt the concrete and the skyscrapers.

   

  

  I first landed in the fifth busiest airport in North America at 6:45 AM on a Thursday morning. Carry-on and backpack in tow, the hustle and bustle of New York City’s JFK airport excited me even after a red-eye and a looming work deadline less than 30 hours away. Passing baggage claim in my heels and tailored blush coat, I whizzed to the subway entrance. I felt so “New York.”

  Despite my friend Vino’s insistence that calling a cab would be the most straightforward transport to her place, I was adamant about navigating the subway for the full New York experience. Carrying no cash and after 45 minutes of confusion flipping through Google maps instructions, I asked the man at a ticket counter opposite a horde of people swarming electronic ticket dispensers. He sold me an AirTrain ticket, which would shuttle me to the actual subway. I thought I was home-free when I got to the end of the shuttle. I was not. After running in a few more circles in the New York humidity, I purchased a ticket from a lady at a booth. I successfully got myself on the subway and transferred at the correct stop. One may not imagine a grown woman to be so proud of this fact, but arriving at my destination in one piece an hour and a half later may have my biggest feat of the year.

  As I walked to her Upper West Side apartment, I was in awe of the enormous buildings, ornate iron gates, and smartly dressed businessmen and women. But my, was there a lot of black attire! Reaching the bijou building, I was welcomed into a long charming hallway, well-organized compact rooms, and the undeniable charm of Vino’s vibrant style.

  

  From there our friend Salman, a San Francisco Bay Area transplant studying in NYC for the past four years, took me to the cutest cafe two blocks down for my very first New York style bagel, hands down the best bagel I had ever had. We spent the rest of the day in front of our laptops working away when I was graced with the discovery that boba (tapioca balls in a hot tea drink) could be ordered straight to your apartment! Accompanied by some chicken biryani (one of my favorites in Indian cuisine), I was learning that modern technology in a busy city meant never leaving the cozy spot on the couch.

  Thursday night blended into Friday morning as I met my deadline. After closing out the work week, Vino and I took the subway to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I was in awe of the white lighted stone steps and almost magical water fountain in their picturesque perfection. Arriving with only ninety minutes before closing, we glided through European sculpture, noticing the massive and miniature scales of statues and rich hues of ceramics, glass, and jewelry.

  Racing to the second floor, we happened upon the Albrecht Durer’s etching, Saint Eustace. I promptly gave up on seeing the rest of the museum. I could be happy just perusing the modest collection of intaglio prints. Minute and precise detail, deliberate strokes and value concentration, all adding to high contrast of black and white; I was in love. Perhaps it was my one semester printmaking course in college that makes me so appreciative of the laborious process that is required for a single intaglio print. Reproduction, however, is altogether a different experience as you follow a mechanical process, repeating each careful step.

  

  We continued to find a sketch of Raphael’s that I had done a master copy of in my introductory art class in college. I remember the forms looking so deceptively effortless in their unfinished, fluid conte crayon lines. When I had drawn it, it was not effortless in the least. Immersing myself in this 6 by 8 inch sketch, I felt that I was absorbing a sense of his dedication, repetition, and studious practice.

  Around the corner from Vino’s, we stopped in at Cafe Lalo. The brick interiors were adorned with framed movie posters and colorful prints. The 28-year-old cafe in all it’s charm played a cameo in the 1998 Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks flick, You’ve Got Mail. I was surprised to find that the wall hangings were not even a top contributor for variety and vibrance when I read that they sell 70 different cakes and 19 different pies. I very much enjoyed my carrot cake and Vino her, chocolate mud cake.

  

  I spent the next morning walking all over NYC with Vino. I stopped at every corner to take a picture of something I knew was very New York but so foreign to me. Flower stand! Neon signs mounted on taxis! We strolled past a fire station with an elaborately carved pumpkin and ornate handles embellishing red double doors. Finally, we stopped into a fantastical bookstore called Book Culture. It had all the same books I was used to seeing in bookstores, but there was something about the ornaments hanging from the ceiling, the pyramidal tower of children’s books, the tiny trinkets, and the benevolent staff. It was this oasis of color and love in the middle of a curt, back-to-business, crowded city.

  Luckily, a block away, I continued my journey into a further refuge as I entered the monumental Central Park. I could immediately see why it is a sanctuary for New Yorkers. It beautifully juxtaposed nature and the tallest of buildings across the skyline. Carriage rides decorated with gold and drawn by horses leapt into the streets as if out of a fairytale. Vino navigated us to “The Mall,” architect Calvert Vaux’s pathway to Bethesda Terrace. Lined by symmetrical trees, the walk is unmistakable for scenes in many romantic comedies including Maid in Manhattan, One Fine Day, and Serendipity.

  Ornately detailed banisters along a double staircase introduce Bethesda Terrace. We entered through the center stairs leading into the arcade with a view of the fountain. The enchanting ceilings are comprised of 49 handmade English tiles. Two singers took advantage of the acoustics in the space and delivered a beautiful rendition of John Legend’s emotional “All of Me.” All this set the scene as I migrated to the fountain, daunting yet inviting in all its glory.

  

  At the fountain, I noted the vibrant purple lilies and felt the light, calming mist in the cool fall air.  Captivated by the peace of the moment and art, the commotion of tourists left me unperturbed. We watched little turtles swimming toward and away from us. A vibrant red-orange stripe across the sides of their faces created a high contrast to the murky green-gray water and similar hue of their bodies. It takes a magical place to create such a distraction from chaos in a busy city.

  What contrast! The black suits in slate city streets against the eye-catching greenery and wildlife. I love the commotion but I also love the stillness. Only such a place could have both.

   

  Stay tuned for Part 2 of Uji's traveling experience!

  ---

  Uji Venkat: By day, my life revolves around STEAM education in tech; by night, I steal away for my creative passions of drawing, painting, and writing. My art has ranged from scientific illustrations for my thesis on zebrafish retinal development to adorning blank walls on a Tuesday night. Pragmatism and spirit often conflict within me; yet, as I have pursued my art practice, I have found that I thrive in the moments when I follow my creative impulses. Roused by the vibrant city of San Francisco, I now find myself immersed with the creativity that surrounds me.

• ‘To Labour Together’: Working with heart and collaboration | Maputo, Mozambique

  February 6, 2019 |   by Valerie Amani   

  EAS contributor Valerie Amani, from Tanzania, reflects on her experience at the ColabNowNow 2018 residency program in Maputo, where she encountered and interviewed artist Hugo Mendes.

   

  

  Why is art important? I ask this question coming from a historical cultural background where art and functionality are synonymous; a pot - however beautifully adorned and detailed - is still first and foremost just a pot; its value intrinsically tied to usefulness.

  The idea that an object with no functional use, should be placed somewhere just to be looked at and admired, is by far a new (and strange) one in most local African communities. It may be because of this history that art, as it is presented to us (via white walls, and effervescent lighting), would come across as foreign and generally misunderstood.

  Collaboration, however, can be used as a tool to merge the past and the present, as it is rooted in community and group practices of creating – be it beadwork, musical celebratory ceremonies or pottery. A labour for one becomes a labour for all. It is perhaps why young African artists, including myself, have thrived and continue to thrive off constant collaboration and group innovation.

  

  9 artists from 7 countries in 1 house for 10 days –the premise of the ColabNowNow residency program founded by the Southern African British Council. The 2018 program was based in Maputo, Mozambique, running in conjunction with MaputoFastForward, bringing together artists from East, West and Southern Africa as well as the U.K. All with one purpose – to exchange and collaborate. The residency ended in a group exhibition and was filled with a cultural explosion of music, food, gallery visits, talks and my favorite - interacting with the local artists.

  During one of our artists’ exchanges, we walked into an exhibition titled “Sunday Nood” by Hugo Mendes, a young digital artist known online as Psiconautah. I immediately connected to the images because of their intimate and subtle rebellion: female figures, naked and aware of their observers.

  

  Hugo himself has this gentle fire and as one of Mozambique’s emerging artists, I wanted to find out more about his journey in relation to the local art scene.

  Valerie: Any comments or points you would like to share before we start?

  Hugo: English is not my first language so sometimes I say stuff that are funny – but as long as the feelings are transmitted it’s ok (he laughs)

  Valerie: How did you first start creating art? Why is it important to you?

  Hugo: my older brother used to draw everywhere (and ruin books while at it). Mostly comic book characters, action heroes and yeah, I started drawing imitating him. Drawing has become important to me because it’s like a meditative state, a way to tune out the whole world and be in the moment.

  

  Valerie: What is your experience as a young artist in Mozambique?

  Hugo: People here don’t really believe in visual arts; music and dancing is more popular because of our cultural heritage. I guess people say it’s difficult to appreciate art when we have major societal issues. Most people believe that you will only be successful if you make foreigners your target market; foreigners have the buying power. But I see this as an opportunity for young artists - to change this and stop selling ourselves short.

  Valerie: Any trends in the art scene?

  Hugo: In art it is more about social circles; we have groups of artists collaborating together, hanging out together and supporting each other.

  Valerie: Many Mozambican artists seem to be influenced by industrialization (metal, recycling objects, abstract multimedia paintings) did this ever apply to you?

  Hugo: In a way my approach is similar. I only use two colors as a necessity. When I was starting out I didn’t have money to buy a lot of materials so it was easier to get black ink. This forced me to think outside the box as to how I could do things that are interesting and different. I believe if something looks good in black and white, it looks good in any colour.

  Valerie: What are some of your challenges as an artist in Mozambique?

  

  Hugo: Figuring out how to reach the majority. I am very active on the internet which most people don’t have access to. They might also feel intimidated to go see my shows at the gallery. They perhaps think that those kinds of places are expensive and not for them.

  Valerie: Can you tell us a little more about the content of the work you exhibit?

  Hugo: I make things that I would like to see and also how my experience shaped me. I never planned to have a career in art. I was actually studying to be an engineer.

  I just decided to do things that I wanted to see, that I’m inspired by – I always find it’s amazing that people actually like the same stuff that I like.

  Valerie: Why is contemporary African art necessary in our societies?

  Hugo: Cultures evolve, and as young artists we have to document it and bring it to the future. We have to take charge of our own narratives and stop waiting from motivation to come from other places.

  Valerie: Lastly, what advice would you give other young aspiring artists?

  Hugo: Believe in yourself when no one else will, have patience, do it for yourself and do not compromise.

  

  Hugo’s warmth and openness to share is a reflection of most of the artists that you will find in Maputo; which is what leads me to believe that it will surely become one of Africa’s leading contemporary art hubs. The unspoken confidence, the vibrancy of community and the feeling of welcome is so contagious one may not want to leave – evidence that the ColabNowNow and MaputoFastForward mission was achieved by creating an environment that can transform a different country into a home, and a house full of strangers into a community of friends.

  Art continues to unfold itself as a necessity because of its power to bring together. It peels off the boundaries that our everyday lives work so hard to construct – language barriers, gender barriers, ethnic barriers - leaving us open to understanding and ready to find an anchor through another’s vision.

  

  African art is still as practical and perhaps even more valuable than it was from its origin. Its practicality merely shifts from everyday household usage to a universal way of translating our communities’ stories, debunking stereotypes and diffusing propaganda. Art perseveres.

  As Hugo Mendes put it, “as long as the feelings are transmitted, it’s ok,” because it is with feelings, that thought is born and mindset begins to evolve.

   

   

  

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  About the author: Valerie Amani is a Dar es Salaam born and based fashion designer, makeup artist and graphic designer. She is the founder and director of Kahvarah, a boutique fashion label that focuses on the African narrative; the co-founder of R.R. Creative Agency, a creative consultancy which has placed her behind the visual language of various brands in Tanzania, as well as the visual art program manager at Nafasi Art Space where she curates exhibitions and workshops. Valerie combines digital art with her love of writing to tackle issues on neo-colonialism, environmental awareness and feminism.

   

   

   

   

   

• ‘Chasms in Time & Space’: a residency experience in Tehran, Iran

  January 30, 2019 |   by Pebofatso Mokoena   

  EAS artist Pebofatso Mokoena, from Johannesburg, South Africa, talks about his experience at the Kooshk Residency in Tehran, Iran, in February 2018. The residency is part of a South Africa - Iran exchange program aimed at promoting international dialogue and art creation.

   

  

  What motivated you to participate in this residency?

  Oftentimes I’ve wondered about how the world operated outside of Johannesburg and Cape Town culture-worlds; you know? the main art centres in South Africa.

  I began imagining how people lived in and out of certain contexts. How would it feel when the geographical walls from underneath and around you are moved? How large, really, are the culture chasms between spaces of myself and spaces of the Earthly domain?

  There were some answers I knew. Some, I had to retrieve outside of my immediate context. The Most High heard my calls, and so the opportunity came for me to travel to Tehran on my first international residency - and I thank the Almighty for that moment.

  The people at home were worried for me, for obvious reasons. People were telling me “Be safe. We see things on CNN, and on the internet, seems like it won't be a kind space at all." Others were shocked I was even going to Iran, others wished me an amazing adventure. I had mixed feelings when I boarded that aircraft.

  How would you describe the residency experience, your goals, what you learned and its impact on your work?

  Kooshk prioritized open-endedness, and was process driven in its outlook. Experimentation in relation to work, was primary. Discovery followed, and learning took its course.

  

  The duration of the residency was a month, and it offered me the chance to explore fundamental enquiries about my artistic practice and myself as a human being (enquiries which had been bugging me for the longest time), enquiries in relation to spacial dynamics in between places, time zones and ecological phases.

  My plan for the residency was to paint, but in conversations with Keiman, former program coordinator, we worked through content and concerns, and how that would form the basis of the physical work. Unexpectedly, charcoal became the medium best-suited to engage my concerns, relative to the experiences of where I was at the time - I could draw as quickly as I was thinking. As for painting, I will do so during my stay in Zimbabwe.

  Working in a collaborative environment with mavericks like Danger Gevaar Ingozi print studio in Jo'burg, the studio in Tehran became an important axis of learning for me. My work traversed many planes - my history with depression as a young'n, breaking through those obstacles with support from family and friends, understanding rest and activity, and living as a revelation.

  In the same breath, I was extremely fortunate to share a 4th floor studio (in the center of the city) with Asanda Kupa, from eMolteno, listening to Johnny Dyani, Mick Jenkins, Simphiwe Dana, Erykah Badu, Bonobo, Taiwa Molelekwa and the like, with some city traffic for good measure. We were able to sustain healthy conversations and helped each other grow. I am thankful.

  

  There were a multitude of artist platforms and spaces, which lent themselves to a variety of exhibitions. From the orthodox, to the not-so-orthodox, to the digital and everything in between - noting that everything is almost always curated somehow (smiles). The highlight was witnessing the retrospective of Ali-Akbar Sadeghi at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. My painting gears eternally shifted. I was blown to shreds.

  Back at the studio, I began engaging in the fundamentals of drawing - space and time. The global environment became an entire situational play which played out on multiple platforms geographically, technologically, socially and physically - and, of course, Iran was part of the play. I began engaging in the meditative practices of image-making. I concentrated on space (in this case, canvas) as a “real” drawing surface, on drawing as a conceptual model of understanding geography, and on geography as a space of understanding movement - I was searching for new "cosmologies", if you will - I haven't finished looking for them though.

  These experiences became a foundation of understanding eventually - what it means for me to be human, particularly in a world where we all see the distractions, impulses and magic. In relation to working practices, impulses such as Sir David Adjaye’s architectural engagements, forces of nature, geographical access and Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, somehow began finding pathways into my work on canvas - even though their structural geographies are far apart. Temperature Rising, in particular became an elegant piece of work, but still violent in its poetry - a personal anecdote in between life and rest.

  

  There was a point in time of the residency where colonial baggage became too heavy for me to bear, in the studio. I de-focused off of it for that moment, allowing me to engage in new quantum, in new lights. The results were a deep engagement with the self in relation to the growth of myself - a total treasure.

  Do you have any advice for EAS artists in pursuing residencies?

  I’m nowhere near that level where I can say “okay, kids, lesson number one is this!” (laughs). I’m still uncovering my lessons. I realize that artists’ careers, in sustaining their family and lives, are crucial, and should not just be taken lightly; artists should not be taken as "face value matrix tokens". True support goes beyond the locale of the financial, particularly for previously disadvantaged people in general. I can’t speak on behalf of anybody else, but for me - winning is not a competition. Winning is succeeding through obstacles which prevent you from being the best possible version of yourself. I know this is cliché, but I got to meet amazing people and the city was remarkable in and of itself.

  Spoiler alert! I won’t spoil all the surprises - let the geographical walls from underneath and around you fall to the wayside.

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  Pebofatso Mokoena is an artist living and working in Johannesburg, South Africa. He completed his tertiary education in Visual Art from the University of Johannesburg in 2014, specialising in drawing and printmaking, and he is now working in a number of different media, including painting, charcoal and sculpture. Born in the time of South Africa’s transition to a democratic state, Pebo’s work is a re-imagining of complex contemporary social questions.

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