Obinna Makata Not All That Glitters

Obinna Makata
Nigerian
b.1981
Not All That Glitters

signed and dated 2022 (centre left)
fabric, ink and acrylic on canvas
121.9 by 182.9cm., 48 by 72in.

Please note this work will ship from Lagos, Nigeria.

Condition Report:
Please note this work is sold unstretched. This work appears to be in very good condition.

Catalogue Note:
Hailing from Lagos, Obinna Makata’s practice examines shifting cultural identities and social values of contemporary Nigerian society. Sketched with ink and acrylic, Makata incorporates scraps of Ankara fabric to form the bodies and backgrounds of his works. Brightly patterned, Ankara fabric is a recognisable part of African traditions but also a commentary on post-colonial trade. Makata describes the collage of fabrics in his works as “broken pieces of African culture,” confronting issues of consumerism, materialism and the threat of foreign influence that is woven into the fabric of African society.

Within Obinna Makata’s collage canvases, diverse visual mediums such as ink, acrylic and fabric create ambiguous forms and bodies. Disproportionate and mishappen, the forms are a juxtaposition of vivid patterns and solemn ink. This tension of tonalities mark Makata’s practice as a clash of African traditional and contemporary artistic influences.