MITOCHONDRIA GALLERY
Dawn
Opening : 12 pm to 6 Pm. Saturday. January 29th, 2022
Public Viewing: January 29th to February 10th 2022
Address: 2101 Winter Street, Houston, TX 77007
In his debut solo exhibition, Sesse Elangwe takes his visual representation of enlightenment to two different worlds, where he continues to critically document some of the conditions experienced by the Black community. This body of work is a manifestation of his recent migration to his new environment in San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A and his previous life in Buea, Cameroon.
Sesse’s focus is on topics that include community development, identity, and personal growth. In this series, the structure and combination of multiple realities; portrait, landscape, and still life are positioned to create a dialogue between the Black experience in Africa and the Black experience in the African Diaspora.
The scenes in this body of work are from his new environment. The richness in skin tone of his figures is more amplified and his subjects are positioned with confidence and valor. His signature use of surrealism to create asymmetry in the eyes of his subjects remains. The larger eye is a symbol of enlightenment. The large eye encourages his viewers to ask themselves challenging questions, to be more aware of their innate wisdom, and mobilize in the pursuit of a better tomorrow.
Exhibition Catalog
EXHIBITED WORKS
Artist Talk with Sesse Elangwe: Hosted by Moriah Alise & Kendra Walker from "Dawn" Exhibition Opening
Studio Visit with Sesse Elangwe.
Artist Statement
My work is centered around black subjectivity, diversity, conversation, and enlightenment. I invite my viewers to reflect on the subjectivity of Black people, our diversity and complexity. I paint my subjects with bold colors and patterns as a means of celebrating each subject with confidence. I do this to challenge the representations that objectify or dehumanize Black people. Through my work, I want to stimulate people to “open their eyes” to the bigger picture in life.
-Sesse Elangwe
About 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 Africans and the African Diaspora globally. He invites his viewers into a forum of meaningful conversations that challenge the status quo.
Sesse is a self-taught artist, who has been practicing professionally for over eight years. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Buea, Cameroon. He has participated in over 20 exhibitions that span four continents: Africa, Europe, North America, and Australia. Works by Sesse are included in prestigious private collections that include artists such as Jean Michael Basquiat, Amoako Boafo, Roby Dwi Antono, Amy Sherrad, David White, and Brian Calvin.
Select Exhibitions
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
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.