From April 28 to May 10, 2024, the La La Lande gallery in France will host an evocative exhibition titled “Reconstructed Identities” by Kenyan artist Evans Mbugua. This ambitious showcase taps into the journey of selfhood, drawing from Evans personal experiences after his relocation to Paris at the age of 19. Through a blend of portraiture and symbolic fragmentation, Evans focuses more on the vital role that community plays in shaping Black diasporic identity.
Born in Nairobi in 1989, Evans vision is rooted in the richness of lived experiences. He reflects, “Everything I am stems from experience—what I’ve smelled, tasted, heard, or seen; the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met.”
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This philosophy underpins “Reconstructed Identities,” which seeks to illustrate the fluidity of identity as it is continuously moulded by environment and collective memory. Evans work serves as a powerful interrogation of how selfhood is perpetually remade through connections and belonging.
At the heart of the exhibition lies the philosophy of Ubuntu, which posits that “I am because we are.” Evans creative process embodies this principle, as he intentionally employs techniques of cutting, fragmenting, and reassembling his subjects.
Each painting transforms into a sacred act of renewal, reflecting the artist’s belief in the beauty of imperfection. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken ceramics are mended with gold, Evans celebrates the idea that flaws are integral to the journey of regeneration. He incorporates fragments of glass from previous works into new pieces, symbolizing resilience and the perpetual cycle of growth.
Visually, the exhibition dazzles with patterns and luminous backdrops. Evans use of pointillist dots and dynamic lines are seen in his figures into their environments, emphasizing the interconnectedness of identity. The subjects of his portraits— with headscarves, glasses, and expressive features—radiate a sense of pride and evolution.
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The exhibition also resonates with the scholarly insights of Michael Onyebuchi Eze, who interprets Ubuntu as a dynamic self-constitution shaped by relationships. Evans finds profound relevance in this concept, particularly within the context of diasporic experiences, where identity is both inherited and actively constructed.
