kó presents In Situ: Encounters of Place, a group exhibition featuring new works by Asemahle Ntlonti, Ayanfe Olarinde, Ayotunde Ojo, Sesse Elangwe, Stephen Price and Talut Kareem, October 30-November 26, 2022.

In paintings and mixed media works, these artists reflect on the concept of place and origin in rapidly changing social, political, and economic realities. They offer perspectives into our shifting understanding of home as a defining element of personal history and a marker of belonging. In an era marked by unprecedented levels of migration and the rise of digital worlds capable of collapsing barriers of space, time, and culture, these works probe our position in the real and virtual world around us.

Ayanfe Olarinde’s ink and acrylic works continue her exploration of the scribbling technique for which she is well known. In a blend of harmonious and fluid forms, these works capture the tense balance between order and chaos. In Stale Wine, Ayotunde Ojo depicts ordinary moments in the lived experiences of the average person. While Talut Kareem’s charcoal and pastel works combine the artist’s interest in scenes of youthful self-expression with his dynamic use of abstract patterns, Stephen Price employs expressive brush strokes in works like Golden Summer to create a physicality of texture that is both rough and soft. Inspired by themes of identity and enlightenment, Sesse Elangwe’s acrylic paintings take the portrait into bold territory. Using media as disparate as soap and polypropylene thread, Asemahle Ntlonti’s work combines intuitive practice with politically astute commentary.

This exhibition is curated by Otsholeng Poo, Curator, kó.

ko-artspace.com