Girma Berta, Streets of Turmi, Ethiopia_2 (Large format), from The Motion series, 2024
Booth LO4
Nil Gallery is pleased to participate in ARCO Lisboa, running from May 23rd to May 26th, 2024. The French gallery showcases a curated body of works by Girma Berta, Slimen Elkamel, Isaac Ato Jackson, and Caleb Kwarteng Prah, each offering captivating visual narratives and innovative perspectives on contemporary art.
Girma Berta's latest series, "Motion," vividly captures the dynamic energy of African cities such as Bamako, Addis Ababa, Marrakech, Jinja and more recently Turmi. Through his lens, Berta immortalizes the essence of urban life and the resilience of working classes, symbolized by their perpetual movement. In a similar vein, Caleb Kwarteng Prah seamlessly merges street photography with personal archives, weaving a tapestry of memory and nostalgia. His art transcends mere imagery, evolving into a narrative that bridges past and present, local and global. Kwarteng Prah's exploration of Africa's personal and collective history resonates with Berta's invitation to explore diverse cultural narratives and viewpoints.
As Girma Berta and Caleb Kwarteng Prah delve into the complexities of African identity and experience, Isaac Ato Jackson, a Ghanaian artist, brings a unique perspective to contemporary image representation. Through his visual poetry, Jackson explores the intersection of abstraction and figuration, particularly within the realm of social media. His work invites reflection on the portrayal of the body in virtual spaces, shedding light on the evolving dynamics of image creation and circulation. Jackson's inquiry into the digital realm complements the broader discussion initiated by Berta and Kwarteng Prah, offering nuanced reflections on cultural representation in the modern age.
In parallel, Slimen Elkamel's artistry celebrates the rich heritage of Tunisia, seamlessly blending folklore and rural imagery. Grounded in a deep appreciation for literature, Elkamel's creative process yields prose both poetic and profound. Through his fusion of writing and painting, Elkamel constructs a captivating realm where reality intertwines with imagination, blurring the boundaries between the tangible and the intangible. In this way, Elkamel's exploration of cultural heritage adds depth to the broader conversation initiated by Berta, Kwarteng Prah, and Jackson, highlighting the multifaceted nature of African artistic expression.
