- Title: South African artist Nelson Makamo unveils latest collection celebrating women.
- Date: 13th September 2018
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (RECENT) (REUTERS) NELSON MAKAMO SELECTING BRUSHES AND PAINT PORTRAIT OF A GIRL HANGING IN MAKAMO'S STUDIO VARIOUS OF MAKAMO WORKING ON A PORTRAIT (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICAN ARTIST, NELSON MAKAMO, SAYING: "For the longest time I always wanted to actually speak, so this is the time for me to visually sort of present what I feel like is im
- Embargoed: 27th September 2018 13:19
- Keywords: Art women Nelson Makamo
- Location: JOHANNEBSURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- City: JOHANNEBSURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Art,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA0018XGNM8N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:On most days, Nelson Makamo can be found transferring his latest creative brainchild to canvas at his studio in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Makamo is a contemporary artist whose vivid portraits have earned him the respect of a growing number of art lovers and critics since his debut solo exhibition in 2014.
Makamo has since exhibited in various art centers around the world including France, USA, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands and Scotland.
The 36-year-old has now turned his focus to inspiring upcoming South African artists and highlighting social issues.
"For the longest time I always wanted to actually speak, so this is the time for me to visually sort of present what I feel like is important for this generation to know what they (women) have actually done for me and other people around me as well," he said.
His latest work is a series of bold and expressive portraits celebrating South African women.
Makamo unveiled the collection at the recent Johannesburg Art Fair, an annual event that is one of the main attractions on the continent's visual arts calendar. Prints were on sale for an average price of 4000 US dollars.
"Women have only been depicted going to fetch water from the river, but I feel like he always brings out the beauty of a woman and that's what I love, or maybe the struggle of a woman, you get thinking about what is this woman going through at that point, when he was painting, what was going through his head," said Kholeka Lwama, an art enthusiast.
South Africa is considered to have some of Africa's most progressive legislative and policy frameworks when it comes to promoting gender equality.
But a 2016 survey by the country's statistics body revealed that one in five women older than 18 have experienced physical violence.
Hlengiwe Vilakati, the influential founder of the Jo Anke Gallery attended the showcase.
"It makes a huge difference when the value of women, when the conversation, when the dialogue comes from men, you know. I think there's much more value there, there's much more strength there because we live in a man's world, so we cannot deny that. So it's them that actually push the boundaries, pushing the conversation, definitely there will be change," Vilakati said.
Admirers of Makamo's work say his art plays a role in social development by promoting discussions about fundamental issues like women's rights and stopping domestic abuse.
"Painting the lives of women and their stories, you're sharing natural life because women give us life. You are sharing the beauty of the world, of the earth and with all of us and that's why I like Nelson's work because it focuses where we all ought to focus and stop violence against women, particularly in this time here in South Africa, where we are campaigning to stop violence against women and children," added Milton Nkosi, a journalist who attended the exhibition.
Makamo plans to continue using his skills with charcoal, oils, watercolors, silkscreen, and ink to add his unique voice to ongoing global conversations about issues facing women and society at large.
"And also just the time that we're living in, in the world it's actually more important right now, to actually also not to forget the role that women actually played, for me it's just a celebration that is actually, the start. I will probably, continue this body of work maybe for the next five years", he added.
In the past quarter-century African art has gone from near total obscurity on the world scene to producing millions in sales by a bevy of stars notably from South Africa and Nigeria.
Makama's next exhibition will be in early October, 2018 at the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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