Hamid Nii Nortey: Faith in Strangers Event

Organized by Daniel Lippitsch and David Omari.

Opening
Monday, 14 February, 5.00 pm - 8.00 pm
2G rule applies to all visitors.

Hamid Nii Nortey’s (b. 1987) most recent body of work will be displayed in his first European solo exhibition “Faith in Strangers”. This compelling series of paintings addresses the diverse socio-political intricacies of migration, spanning from historical references, via expatriatism to political persecution.

Nortey, a self-taught emerging Ghanaian artist, developed his interest in painting as a pupil in Mandla Dada basic school in La Accra, Ghana, and stood witness to the city’s considerable transformation from then on. His compelling and colorful figurative paintings delve into Ghana and the continents fast evolving social landscape shedding a light onto its diverse social classes, as well as the resulting generational developments. Nortey’s works are characterized by his signature cross hatching technique which he applies onto the skins of his figures. Contrasting the artist’s broad and smooth Impressionist colour palette, from sienna brown to burnt sienna, the close-knit parallel lines, varying in spacing and width, create a rough, loose organic texture, conveying the at once visual and tactile qualities of natural skin. Starting from meticulous and playful sketches, his portraits grow into lifelike, and lively, visual impressions. He reflects upon his engagement with architectural structures to create sceneries of different composition, modern home decor and different image perspectives that resonate and compel his viewers to be physically and emotionally invested in the subjects story.

“Faith in Strangers” was organized by Daniel Lippitsch and David Omari.

FOCUS ON:
Noemi S. Conan | Recollected Stories

Noemi S. Conan (b.1987, Poland) currently lives and works in London. Conan’s practice uses folkloric female figures of Rusalki to “explore, recall and share half-remembered icons of a post-communist youth”. Rusalka are a feminine entity in Slavic folklore which, before the 19th century, were not considered evil but rather a remnant of pagan mythology which linked them with fertility. However, since the 19th century they have been decidedly demoted from the goddesses they once might have been and are frequently associated with malicious and predatory intent. The tale is that these women deviated or violated social norms, such as pre-marital pregnancy, abandoning husbands or suicide, and have become outcast spirits within a purgatory realm. This manifests in their punishment of roaming the earth in eternal youth with one another, preying on mankind and exhausting their victims to death and corruption through dance and laughter (a factor Conan struggles to view as a punishment and not an especially successful deterrent).

This folkloric backdrop to Conan’s work is layered by her early memories of Post-Soviet sex workers appearing in the neighbourhood around her and who at the time she believed were Rusalki with their glamorous revealing outfits, leather boots and uncompromising demeanour. The combination of influences creates a figurative manifestation of a style of unapologetic modern woman. As Conan states:

“The women I paint- somewhere between a girlboss and Stakhanovite worker with a pinch of Slavic folklore for flavour- both confront the viewer and maintain their cool disregard to appeal to any sensibilities whatsoever. They will not provide an explanation, no comforting smile- that comes at extra cost and you can’t afford it. Countries of the old Eastern Block as edge lands, haunted by modern wild women. Feral femininity, disruptive disinterest. The social margins in their full monumental frenzy, larger than life and sparing nobody. Aggressive passivity and violent avoidance.”