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2 May 2023 (3 min) read
“Too often we are quick to airbrush love, clinging to poetic and idealistic notions of family,” says curator and founder, Wunika Mukan.
Zimbabwean artist Julio Rizhi will present two of his works, Land Reform IV and Beauty of Poverty (both 2023), in an upcoming group exhibition titled Love Your Family. The show will be held at Wunika Mukan Gallery in Lagos, Nigeria.
Rizhi’s practice encompasses the repurposing of found objects and discarded materials and is deeply embedded in the complexities of urban life in his native Harare. Often brightly coloured and constructed with the inclusion of found mesh wire, each sculptural work is arresting in its tactile complexity.
The exhibition will feature work by twelve contemporary artists as they share their personal interpretation of love and explorations of what a family entails. “It’s an attempt to untangle the mysteries of family while simultaneously casting a light on the societal notions of love,” explains founder and curator, Wunika Mukan. “Too often we are quick to airbrush love, clinging to poetic and idealistic notions of family.”
The selection of works will project the universal pleasures and the specific pains of family, and what happens when we willingly embrace our dependency on those who can harm, as well as nourish us. Mukan continues: “If we use convention as a measure, we can define family as society’s apex of love and commitment. Hegel, the German philosophical idealist, tells us that love is the key component of a family. African proverb reinforces this belief, teaching us that a family is like a tree with multiple branches, that may at times bend but is resilient enough that it will never break.”
Ultimately, this sort of love – one that Hegel defines as us exchanging our self-sufficiency for dependence – is to which we are taught to aspire. “Who we love ultimately becomes an extension of who and what we are”, says Mukan.
In reality though, family seemingly goes far beyond the traditional structure. “Every individual has their own personal concept of family, the people who bear witness to us in profound ways and are allowed to harm us and are permitted redemption, whereas others are not”, explains Mukan.
Rizhi will be joined by other international exhibiting artists, including Kamila Soares (Brazil), Sophia Chioma and Unu Mamu (Nigeria),Lebogang Mogul Mabusela (South Africa), Alanna Fields (United States), Millie Toyin Olateju (United Kingdom/ Nigeria) and others.
Based in Lagos, Nigeria and founded in 2020, Wunika Mukan Gallery champions bright emerging talent in contemporary art. Offering exciting opportunities to exhibit and engage critically in global discourse, it’s dedicated to expanding artist visibility and providing space for innovation, exploration and immersive exchange.
Love Your Family opens on 6 May and runs until 22 May 2023.