Berlin’s new contemporary art gallery Ronewa Art Projects presents its inaugural duo exhibition, Kimvuka (Together), featuring artists Nú Barreto and Yvanovitch Mbaya.
The exhibition, which runs through March 4, 2023, explores the collective human experience through anonymous figures. The works presented reveal the realities of violence and inequality faced by African populations, while celebrating the universality of human nature.
The paintings of Nú Barreto, who was born in Guinea-Bissau and has been based in Paris since 1989, are imbued with a sharp political and social critique. His twisted, anguished figures fall into disorienting spatial abstractions, illustrating the tragic consequences of unjust economic structures. Yet his practice is not fatalistic, but rather calls on viewers to take responsibility for injustice.
Yvanovitch Mbaya, on the other hand, offers a more optimistic view of humanity. His paintings, inspired by his travels throughout Africa, tell stories of hope and cultural diversity. The natural materials he uses, such as coffee and indigo pigment, pay tribute to local practices and traditions, including his own Bantu culture. Yvanovitch Mbaya‘s figures encourage viewers to look for commonalities across cultural and geographic differences.
The exhibition “Kimvuka” (Together) is a testament to the friendship and generational influence between the two artists. Yet their distinct artistic practices share a common vision: that of a humanity that aspires to a better understanding of itself and others. Ronewa Art Projects offers an immersive art experience that encourages viewers to explore the complexities of human nature, while reflecting on their own place in the world.