“I am because we are” is an exclusive online group exhibition by Artyli.com, showcasing the artwork of four South African Artists who are beginning to attract ongoing international attention.
The African philosophy of “I am because we are” informs us that the sense of self is shaped by others and is understood from a perspective of community.
“I am because we are” is an exclusive online exhibition by Artyli.com curated by Karen Tearnan Cullinan and Lynette van Tonder taking place from 21 May – 30 June on Artsy.net.
Artyli.com is an online gallery that was recently launched specialising in African Contemporary Art. It aims to facilitate the opportunity for African Contemporary Artists, making their work discoverable and affordable, by showcasing exceptional artwork for sale on their digital platform and art exhibitions at various Tsogo Sun’s chain of Hi Hotels, as well as their own dedicated gallery in Johannesburg.
African artists, growing up in post-apartheid South Africa, where the western philosophies that elevate individualism, have been rejected as colonial, there is a movement by artists now which embraces what it means to be African in a space where contemporary art is defined by individualism, expression and thought without losing a sense of community.
Khaya Sineyile, Andrew Ntshabele, Banele Njadayi and Ludumo Maqabuka, are four African artists who on their journey as individual artists express their thoughts through their own unique interpretations and studio practices.
Khaya Sineyile is from Nyanga, Cape Town, South Africa. His subject matter ranges from township scenes to more introspective themes referencing childhood games and observations on religious hypocrisy, faction-fighting, and witchcraft.
Most recently he turned his attention to the effects of social inequality, specifically relating to the South African family structure. His confident brush marks and considered palette convey a rawness which he contrasts with cartoon-like outlines – an approach which separates the figures from the background and introduces elements of playfulness, wit, and humour.
Sinyile’s work has been exhibited in numerous international and national exhibitions, and his work can be found in many prominent collections across Africa and Europe.
Andrew Ntshabele focuses on urbanisation in Johannesburg, South Africa. His interest in the city was developed from an early age, where he now resides and works and is constantly confronted by poverty, pollution, and urban decay.
Ntshabele`s work portrays the negative effects of rapid urbanisation experienced by the citizens who live and work in Johannesburg today. His work is a form of social commentary that deals with the socio-economic challenges that the majority of black South Africans face in post-colonial South Africa.
Ntshabele is a prolific artist, having won numerous awards for his work and has been involved in many exhibitions in South Africa and abroad and his works can be found in numerous international collections.
Banele Njadayi was born in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, and moved to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where he studied and now works as a professional artist.
Njadayi is popularly known for his paintings in which he masterfully applies vibrant colours to draw out the energy and atmosphere of the varying environments that he depicts.
His subject matter reflects on themes around urban living and identity. In his paintings he portrays portraits of people busy with their daily lives. His work documents fragments of his subjects’ personal stories and is also a collective story of women represented as pillars of strength in homes and society.
These identities, both personal and collectively, are painted to convey the desire, purpose, and strength of the poor in a mostly working-class community.
Ludumo Maqabuka was born in Umtata in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, and now resides and works in Johannesburg. Maqabuka experiences modern society as highly defined by the influx of popular culture and the influence it has on new ideologies and personal identities.
He is an artist whose work is at the juncture of where contemporary street art meets everyday life in Africa. His work invites you in to explore a liberated colourful visual language, expressed through bold mark making and portraiture, creating a unique blend of graffiti art, abstract expressionism, and pop art.
His work highlights life in townships and interprets South African society with all its complex dynamics, exposing the societal norms and the formation of constructed identities within a frame of popular culture.
Karen Cullinan, CEO of Artyli.com, said: “In this time of the pandemic, where Covid-19 threatens us not only individually but also as communities, countries and as humanity, we become more malleable and open to embracing new philosophies. Trends that were once on the horizon, such as the 4th industrial revolution, are now more readily adopted, bringing with them global change.
“When, as a society, we adopt the best of now, but still embrace our past as Africans, we can engage with contemporary art as a vehicle for authentic self-expression and individualism, which can be interpreted within the context of “I am because we are”.”
Cullinan added that when we do this, we begin to embrace Post-Africanism.
As a contemporary philosophy applicable to art, Post-Africanism is best described by Denis Ekpo, Professor of Comparative Literature at The University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria who says “It’s anchored in a conscious openness not just to new experiences but to new interpretations of old experiences in the light of changing knowledge.”
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