Madai Taylor, “Darkness Upon the Face of the Deep, Iowa Earth,” Earth & Adhesive on Paper Mounted on Board, 48″ x 48″

Black History Month: the annual celebration of achievements by Africans and African-Americans and a time meant to create awareness about the contributions of the Africans and African Americans in U.S. history. Although every day is an opportunity to recognize the success, creativity, and perseverance of all people, we are happy to contribute to the honoring of this important month by sharing a little bit more about some of our incredible African and African-American Agora artists. Each of these artists comes from a different part of the world and a different background and even artistic style, but what ties them together is the influence that the African culture has had on their work, whether it’s been through their own experiences or through the stories of family and friends.

Nonye Ikegwuoha

Nonye Ikegwuoha, “M-Series Part 9,” Oil on Canvas, 79″ x 59″

Nigerian-born artist Nonye Ikegwuoha finds direct inspiration from African culture and art, as well as the stresses and conflicts from his daily professional life. He believes that the emotional value of a piece must always trump the aesthetic. “Only the artist’s feelings and experiences count,” he says. “I’ve become better over time at ignoring the obvious search for beauty in favor of the emotional.” The artist currently splits his time in London, Nigeria, and Shanghai, where he runs an architectural firm.

Agora Gallery will be hosting the artist’s first solo exhibition, opening on April 1, 2016. On display will be The M Series, a collection of 20 large paintings and 30 studies focusing on the “dark, harrowing experiences of migrants.”

Madai Taylor

Madai Taylor, “Echos, Utha and Arizona and Iowa Earth,” Earth & Adhesive on Paper Mounted on Board, 48″ x 48″

Artist Madai Taylor was born and raised in Lake Village, Arkansas, a small town in the Mississippi delta stricken by racism and poverty. His work addresses the themes of disintegration, regeneration, and reproduction through an emphasis on organic materials and natural forms, using earth. “To me, earth has always been a very intriguing material that contains a mystic, organic beauty. It is an original, primordial material that lends itself to an immense range of tone, nuance, and texture that I manipulate to create calm, ethereal, thought-provoking and non-subjective images, imbued with ancient history, spirituality, symbolization of the human struggle, and life and death.”

Kenneth J Lewis Sr.

Kenneth J Lewis Sr., “The Pugilist,” Acrylic on Canvas, 64″ x 49″

Working out of what he calls the KJL Art Sanctuary, self-taught artist Kenneth J. Lewis Sr. creates colorful, large-scale paintings with fearlessness and passion. “My cultural influences come from a deeper study of African and African-American culture and history,” Lewis says. “I owned an African-American bookstore and frame shop in the ’90s, and these influences have gifted me with a deeper love of self, enriched me, and allowed for greater appreciation of art and culture.”

Kenneth’s work will be on view at Agora Gallery starting July 8, 2016 as part of a Collective group exhibition.

Ozie

Ozie, “Locust Warrior,” Wood, 24″ x 12″

Detroit native Ozie is a self taught artist whose works combine his love of carpentry and painting to create one of a kind structures. Ozie says his work is strongly influenced by African art, as well as abstract painters like Jackson Pollock and Gerhard Richter. He believes in artists being able to express themselves freely and without limitations. “My art takes a journey into the powerful energy of abstract through shapes, lines, and color,” Ozie says. “While I paint I work out ideas without attempting to control the destiny, the painting itself takes over. I get inspiration from greatness and that comes in all aspects of life.”

Peter Ray Mwasha

Peter Ray Mwasha, “Princes Malikia 2,” Acrylic & Gouache on Paper, 16.5″ x 12″

A descendant of the Maasai tribe in Tanzania, Peter Ray Mwasha uses color and abstraction to share his rich community and culture. His art celebrates the Maasai traditions and way of life, depicting stories and music passed down through generations. “My culture inspires my artwork and each piece that I finish has special meaning to me – it is a part of me,” Mwasha says of his art. “I am yet a young traveler in my artistic journey, and my hopes are built on my ability to express my talents and to encounter different communities around the globe who appreciate what I do, and from my work learn about me, Peter Ray, and my culture.”

Paul Morado

Paul Morado, “Skeletons in my Closet (Bone Collector),” Acrylic on Canvas, 48″ x 60″

The art of Paul Morado is greatly influenced by colors that pop and whimsical images, drawing inspiration from Dr. Seuss and Pablo Picasso. Morado says that the most gratifying experience for him as an artist is “when my art speaks to people regardless of color, shape, religion, etc.; when you can get distracted by my work and actually have a feeling or a spark of emotion, that’s when I say to myself ‘job well done!’” When he paints, Morado enjoys listening to music, which helps him deeply explore “metaphors and misguided relationships” that he portrays in his art.