Overview

Two Brothers in Teal, 2020

I want the viewer to feel that we are one, no matter whether black or white we are all human beings who are connected and anything is possible when we are together and fight together.

In capturing the layered essence of the black bodies in my work, I seek to capture a sense of balance and conflict within a single entity captured as a demi-god. I have always looked to push the boundaries of representation and I believe it is important to celebrate the complexity of existence that black people turn to internalize.

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Biography

For me capturing black bodies in the abstract form sort of skews towards an idea of the supernatural - almost like superheroes and super heroines (some I know and some I do not). Though our bodies are usually politicized, I seek to further practice reclaiming our narrative like many great artists before me by capturing black bodies in a potent reverence.

A graduate of the Ghanatta Institute of Art and Design, Emmanuel Taku studied with well-known figurative painters Amoako Boafo and Otis Quaicoe, and has been practicing different forms of portraiture for more than ten years. His subjects are often clothed in striking floral prints, applied using a distinct silk screen method. He incorporates a variety of materials including textiles, newspaper, fiberglass, fiber net, mesh, and plywood. A nod to Malick Sidibé, the artist combines his focus on portraiture with a longstanding passion for textiles and patterns, passed on to him by his mother. For the artist, adding layers of abstraction...