Sesse Elangwe
Sesse Elangwe (b. February 25, 1994) is a Cameroonian visual artist from the region of Buea. He currently lives and works in San Antonio, Texas. Sesse creates compelling paintings based on his digested response to personal and communal encounters that reflect his cultural and socio-political environment. Drawing aesthetics from realism, pop-art and surrealism, Sesse employs portraiture to critically document some of the conditions experienced by the Black community.
Sesse is a self-taught artist, who has been practicing professionally for over nine years. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Buea in Cameroon. He has participated in over 20 exhibitions that span four continents: Africa, Europe, North America, and Australia. The critical acclaim of Sesse’s debut solo exhibition ‘Dawn’ at Mitochondria Gallery catapulted him to the frontlines of international emerging artists. He was rated next by Sotheby’s auction house in October of 2022 at the Modern and Contemporary African Auction.
Works by Sesse are in prestigious collections across the globe such as The Green family art foundation (Dallas, Texas), W Art foundation (Shanghai, China), Xitang foundation (Beijing, China), Lester Marks collection (Houston, Texas), Schulting Collection (Amsterdam), Pamela Hornik Collection (Palo Alto, California), Tim Tan Collection (Manila, Philippines), Casauccelo Collection (Manila, Philippines), Owolabi Collection (Atlanta, Georgia), Craft Collection (Chicago, Illinois).
Museum Exhibition
Gallery Exhibitions
Artist Visit : Sesse Elangwe
Selected Press
Behind The Scences : Sesse Elangwe
CV : Sesse Elangwe
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Life’s Blueprint. Mitochondria Gallery. Houston, TX. 2023
If we could talk. 193. Paris, France. 2022
Dawn. Mitochondria Gallery. Houston, TX. 2022
Museum EXHIBITIONS
Double ID. Charles H. Wright Museum. Detroit, MI. 2024
Some Dogs Go to Dallas. Green Family Art Foundation. Dallas. TX 2024.
Africa Supernova. Kunsthal KAdE. Netherlands. 2023.
Sounds of Blackness. Metropolitan Museum of Manila. Philippines. 2023
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Echoes of Transformation. Mitochondria Gallery. Houston, TX. 2024
‘In situ, Encounters of places. Ko’. Lagos, Nigeria. 2022
Traits to remember, the aesthetics and politics of black portraits. 193. Venice. Italy.
2022
Where is my hat. Showbonain. San Fransisco, California. 2021.
19 Karen Gallery. Group Show. Australlia. 2021.
Patrimoine collectif contemporain, Group show,
Doualaart, Douala, Cameroon. 2021
Awakening. Group Show. Chilli Art Project. London. 2021
Concordant Conveyances. Mitochondria Gallery. Houston, Texas, USA. 2021
The Last Picture Show, Group show, Alliance Française Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria. 2021
Patrimoine collectif contemporain, Group show,
Doualaart, Douala, Cameroon. 2020
The Kai, Group show, Annie Kadji Gallery,
Douala, Cameroon. 2020
The Last Picture Show with Gondwana Art
Collective, Cur. Catherine Pittet, Douala, Cameroon. 2019.
The Last Picture Show with Gondwana Art
Collective, Cur. Catherine Pittet, Douala, Cameroon. 2018
Mur Mur Festival, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 2018
Jeune Espoir, Douala Art, Douala, Cameroon. 2017
The Movement Africa. 2017
Akwa Palace Hotel, Douala, Cameroon. 2016.
Seme Beach Hotel, Limbe, Cameroon. 2015.
University of Buea, Joint exhibition with Max sako and Tango Emannuel, Buea,
Cameroon. 2015
ART FAIRS
1-54 Art Fair. London. 2024.
MIA Art Fair. Milan. 2024.
MIA Art Fair. Milan. 2023.
Scope Art Fair. Miami Florida. 2022
Contemporary Istanbul. Istanbul, Turkey. 2022
RESIDENCIES
The Fires Project, London. United Kingdom.
AWARDS
Festival Mur Mur, 2nd place winner,
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 2018
Arts Chronicle, 3rd place, 3rd
place, and 1st place for 2014, 2012, and 2011 respectively.
1st place at World Heritage. Patrimonito. Storyboard Competition by UNESCO.
2012
Six-time winner of Crayon de D’jino from 2007-2012.
Education
University of Buea. Cameroon. BSc. Political Science.
** Editors Note. Sesse Elangwe. Mitochondria Gallery. 2024