Augustus Nweke

Art becomes my voice, the platform to express me. It allows me to tell my story and challenge the status quo without fear. Painting is my voice on issues that are of interest to me. I celebrate diversity by relating unconnected cultural experiences which my upbringing in Nigeria and the UK has exposed me. Finding a connecting middle ground becomes my way of integration, as evidenced in my works. I am motivated to examine issues on post-colonial family, hybridity and identity with paint as a medium. And conversations with my daughter on current affairs, politics, and everyday issues, like London culture, and identity inspires me. They present me with topics to work. I aim to communicate my thought on issues that I care. By invoking elements of art and technology, through Painting, I create works with rich visual experience born out of collaboration and challenges fixities. I used techniques and mediums like silkscreen on a Painted canvas. To explore further the collaborative process, three-dimensional forms are introduced in my works, to show the historical significance or how it appeals to me. Presently I have been experimenting on woodcut and silk screen printing on painted canvass. How I choose to express myself, depends on what medium and materials I believe will best tell my story. My sources of materials vary. I like objects in their natural form. But at the same time, I do not want to restrict myself on the content. I hope to compete effectively with other professionals in the field and work held to the highest standards. When I achieved this, it becomes the platform required to contribute to social issues of the time through exhibitions, publications, public lectures and performances.