
The Burning Giraffe, 2024, Charcoal, Pastel and Acrylic on canvas

Sunbathing, 2024Charcoal, Pastel and Acrylic on canvas

Parallel Dots, 2024 Charcoal, Pastel and Acrylic on canvas

Yet within the unpredictable forces causing regular altercations in our everyday surroundings and state of being, new ways of establishing harmony and well-being can be found through connections to the earth and the individuals in our daily lives. Each artist in Transcendent Earth plays with a distinct visual language that seeks to transcend present moments of chaotic change. While simultaneously incorporating the traditional aesthetics and craft-like elements of West Africa, the artists’ works strive to create art using a newfound mix of materials and subject matter.
In the figurative paintings of Nigerian Artist Olusegun Tosin Kalejaye the invention of netted motifs across the bodies and faces of his protagonists represents the struggles and resilience of Africans. The netted or scaled motifs reflect patterns of nature like those found on animals and serve as metaphors for strength and protection. In two new works created for the show, Kalejaye places his subjects at the core of his compositions to emphasize his belief that climate change and environmental sustainability can only be effectively addressed when the well-being of the inhabitants—both human and ecological–are prioritized.
... Meanwhile, in the evocative figurative paintings of Lagos-based Adegboyega Adesina, the artist emphasizes and upholds the possibility of storytelling through a communal relationship between his environment and community. His expressive painterly style endows him with the ability to depict sensitively the interaction of individuals within their natural and urban environment to showcase the importance of our human and environmental connection.
In the new works of Senegalese Dakar-based visual artist Djibril Drame from his series Migration and Identity colorful burlap rice bags are used as the medium onto which are printed the artist’s poignant photographic works capturing personal and collective scenes from Senegal. The body of work refers to where Drame believes humanity has now arrived: A critical meeting point of non-linear journeys of human displacement and movement for a better understanding of ourselves as humans. Several photographs incorporated from Drame’s Ndewendeul series explore the profound unity of the human condition by showcasing intimate gatherings during Islamic holidays in Senegal and the rituals associated with the rite of Ndewendeul, specific to Senegal. What Drame hopes to show is the universality of such religious customs that transcend divisions and celebrate the beauty of human bonds even during moments of strife.
In the poetic tapestry-like textile installations of Nigerian artist Samuel Nnorom pieces of Ankara and African print fabric scraps as well as Okirika, second-hand or used clothes, are incorporated to explore the intricacies of social, political, economic and environmental concerns, especially faced by displaced persons and migrants. In so doing, Nnorom creates what he calls the “fabric of society” or “social fabric”—art installations that represent his local community in West Africa and their connections with the wider global world.
The intricate mixed media works of Accra-based Courage Hunke similarity probe the interstices between the realm of consumer culture we live in today and the ephemerality of human existence. To create his work, he employs an innovative technique of fusing paper with repurposed merchandise plastic bags through heat pressing. This manner allows him to reappropriate everyday objects into artistic imprints of life experiences that highlight the power of the natural world, human connection and the responsibility we bear for the environment.
Through each of these artists’ works new stories are being told—ones that attempt to break free from the uncertainty of today and celebrate the importance of human connection and oneness of nature.
Transcendent Earth contemplates the fluid breadth and power of artistic creation to offer transcendence, hope and new ways of being.
As Heidegger once wrote: “Art brings out the truth.”
Words by Rebecca Anne Proctor.