Nelson Makamo: Variation Edition of Blue

For the first time in his 19-year career, world renowned South African artist Nelson Makamo showcases a solo show of prints, many for the first time, in Cape Town. The exhibition, titled Variation Edition of Blue, opens on 15 February, coinciding with the 10th anniversary edition of Investec Cape Town Art Fair.

Although he’s best known for his gestural charcoal and oil portraits of African children, Makomo received his formal training in master printing. He wanted to revisit this technique at this point in his career to recognise his printmaking origins and look at how the medium has contributed to his evolution as an artist.

The exhibition consists of 20 pieces across the printmaking spectrum, including mono-prints, etching and drypoint, silk screen, digital prints, and his new exploration into handwoven tapestries. For the first time, Makamo has collaborated with South African weavers and masters to transform his oil painting, ‘Blue Sovereign’, into a 3-metre, hand-woven tapestry.

One of the show’s main attractions is the opportunity to own a limited edition (25/100) digital print of the portrait that graced the cover of TIME magazine’s Optimists issue in 2019. The first 50/100 prints were released in 2020 during the global pandemic, in an effort to spread optimism and encourage positivity during this challenging period.

Makamo is best known for his images that aim to challenge the decades-long portrayal of African children as destitute. His subjects embody conviction, prowess and determination, seeking to rewrite the global narrative about what it means to be African. Over the course of his career, Makamo has asserted a signature style and unique subject matter that has made him one of the most sought-after visual artists of our time, with high-profile collectors including Oprah Winfrey, Giorgio Armani and Annie Lennox.

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