VICTOR MUTELEKESHA

EPIPHANY

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LANDSCAPE.

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A THIN LINE BETWEEN ART AND ACTIVISM

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A thin line between art and activism

The 10^th of May 2011 marked the day when Samueland I kick-started our smart activism in and around Nairobi, nothing sinister atall but just an extension into the public the dialogue that goes on between twohighly opinionated artist. While in the artist residency in Venice we watchedeach other develop new works and moved to begin to understand each other and itwas not long for us to realized that despite our different approaches in how wecreated art we both desired to criticize the status quo in relation to the humancondition and quite often subtly suggested solutions of sorts.

The tendency by most of those that hold power to use theless privileged, poor and uneducated masses as pawn to gain political mileageis reminiscent of how those that own capital consider them as arms to be exploited to grow more capitalwhile the fascists would use them as class division to oppose the others, thosethat are different.

Thisproblem is eating away the slightest if any of the minimal democraticachievements some sub Sahara African countries might have gained during theearly 1990s subtle revolutions and subsequent over-throw of autocratic regimes.

We need anew revolution more than ever but we need one that will not entice the brandishingof machetes and guns spilling innocent poor mans blood on the streets but onethat allow people to begin to realise there self worthiness and to demand forbetter and respect; we need a silent mental revolution.

If art can create an experience of utopia within designated spacesthen it’s an artist moral responsibility to deliver this particular experienceto those that really need it especially when much of the desired goals are tohelp transform society for the better.

Our actions were generally silent interventions within the city ofNairobi and its surrounding locations bearing in mind many of the social andpolitical challenges it continues to face. We engaged ordinary people fromtownships with an aim of collecting encrypted but loud massages people wouldwrite on hidden corner as a way to criticise without getting noticed. We thende-structure these massages in a way we saw fit so that we could expand theiroutreach by using our acts as promotional vehicle. We re configured thosemassages and printed on T-shirts to be redistributed for free.

The last images is a billboard bearing Wangari Maathai words“Least we forget” dedicated to her green belt movement struggles

FOR EXPORT

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TREE and BIBLE

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NOT THERE YET.

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RISE TO THE ASHES.

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HALO 2

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HALO

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WE ARE THE ONES

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WE ARE THE ONES.

Under any circumstances or indeed any state of being “we” (“we” standing in for all energy and matter in the known or unknown space; since we are part of that energy and matter in a composite that allows us to be what we are) are in a constant state of quest; quest for the ultimate state of being and the quest for having a clearer understanding of that state so as to maximise its ability for self preservation and ironically self destruct before an inevitable metamorphosis into something else beyond the reach of out power and control.

It is in that state of quest when our souls get under siege.

When terror creeps in.

When our very purpose of existence is under probe and answers found are not anywhere closer to satisfactory.

When the very foundation of human is looked at a new

When the need of our destruction outweighs the sum that justifies our existence.

When the overwhelming evidence by some humans own calculations is that we are here by mistake whiles others ague for an intelligent design behind our presence.

When six degrees too much will mean our demise, amazingly enough it is by six degrees that we are separated from the rest of the six billion plus living this world.

When standards we are meant to uphold as the pinnacle of all creation are just a joke in our own eyes.

When the universe; the totality of all matter and energy within space known and unknown to humans can equally be understood from within as much as from without.

When we constitute more than half the sum of all fears

When we the creatures of origin and destiny cannot trace the path linking the two.

It is that state of quest, a state of being in motion that I want to resonate.

Victor Mutelekesha 2008-09-09.

End of FOCUS10. 2010

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The end of FOCUS 10 was marked with new hopes new possibilities through new created networks and knowledge acquired via formal and informal talks. The exhibition so well and tactfully curetted by Christine Eyene, Lerato Bereng and to a certain extent Peter Herrmann of the Peter Herrman gallery (Berlin) considering the space challenges. It was worth noting the diverse art works and a performance that provided for food for thought, during and way beyond the end of the project. From the demand for freedom in our time by Faith47 recalling the freedom chatter of South Africa of the 1950s and making it relevant today to the thanksthanks Africa manifesto that has a candid eye on Africa-China far from balanced relationship to the three African musketeers adorning Breeze Yokos graffiti’s work to Dalila Dalleas penguins that have occupied spaces “illegally” to Milumbes intriguing capture of mixed emotion on canvas to Christian Tundulas artistic, experimental approach to photography, to the trade and to the shadow of my shadow and many other works unmentioned here all of them as seriously expressive in tackling the many challenges faced by contemporary Africa, the contemporary Africa whose identity is a hybrid of what she ones was pre slavery and colonialism, colonialism and post colonialism and the challenges she has in either maintaining governing and societal institutions imposed by colonial masters of find a balance in making them more relevant to the needs of all Africans at home and abroad and all those with an interest in her success.

Away from the exhibition spaces I felt haunted by my childhood innocence of the 80s, my cries fro freedom for South Africa and the release of Mandela during the many government organized march protest in Zambia and when both of those came to pass in the 90s I felt a sense of accomplishment not as an individual but as part of a collective entity called Zambia. A good number of artists participating in the focus10 exhibition where South African and it wasn’t long before we engaged in discussing what I thought was our common recent history. I might have been wrong but I still maintain that without the likes of kaunda South Africa wouldn't have been where in it is today, whether for good or bad South Africa awes the end of apartheid to many outside South Africa, kaunda and Zambia included but is seems many South Africans know little or nothing about this story and if they do then they have decided to suffer from selective amnesia especially when explaining the recent xenophobia attacks in South Africa. The complexity of this story does not end there, Black and white South Africans and the race in-between (the colored who by the way should have been peace brokers between whites and blacks since they should have been able to claim identity of both races but would rather side with whites than blacks) have a totally different take on the events in their country, most blacks and most white are claming innocence of the past and victims of the current status quo, like the artist presentations at the Nobel peace center here in Oslo a few weeks ago black artist spoke of the oppression during apartheid and the luck of service delivery from the democratically elected government while some white artist spoke of white innocence and victimization by blacks. I was lost of words then and couldn't find any at one informal discussion at FOCUS10 when I was asked by a South African to explain myself what Mandela had done for South Africa, I was shocked by that challenge because I expected a South African to know better than I did. Anyway, animosity, claim of innocence and claiming the identity of victim and selective amnesia among South Africans will not solve a thing in that country. It even shocked me when two artist, one black and the other white suggesting there should have been a civil war in South Africa to allow for a natural emotional transformation. That to me was a clear failure of reasoning.

I believe that an artist and his work in this day and age must transcend beyond all pettiness and artist like Zapero and Faith47 live up to standards I expect.

Victor Mutelekesha

RED ACT.

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NOT THERE YET.

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Project “Not there yet”

We all have some king of a beginning and some kind of an end and every thing we do and are has the same kind too since everything exists in one form of energy or another and through a process of metamorphosis changes into another.

Project “not their yet” seeks to explore a different king of metamorphosis, that of a human beings change of state of existence or being or in the process of pursuit of a different state of existence. A pursuit that to many remains elusive and exists only in their mind. On one hand this project focuses on people we commonly refer to as refugees or immigrants and on the other hand the project reflect on the ever elusive wish that only exists and flourishes only in the mind. Those people that seek to move within national boarders or even across national or continental boarders makes up the biggest population because reasons to move from one place the other keeps multiply; which make the statement “we are all immigrants” true. On very rare occasions we do seem to find what we thought is what we wanted but in many cases our destiny remains elusive and we either adapt to reality on the ground or we turn inward to live our dreams in our mind.

The images bellow seeks to represent that elusive wish that only flourishes in the mind, that which dashes through the mind as an after thought if you may will; the embrace of opposing egos that never was, the epiphany that never was, the high rise connection that never was the applause that will never be.

The project exhibit consists of two videos that form a single installation titled “not there yet”. The four framed images are downloaded from the Internet and then computer manipulated. Mugabe a thon in the side of many, in a wishful thought takes a place reserved for a living legend Mandela, the pope, an adamant critique of homosexuality barriers the hatchet and seeks to embrace a music icon and a figure head among the homosexuals, the bridge that spans across two faiths and schools of thought and an epiphany of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

oh!, how nice!. Image. 2010

Applaud. Image. 2010

Epiphany of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Image. 2010

building the bridge between us. Image. 2010

CV

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RESUME

VICTORMUTELEKESHA VictorMutelekesha.

Personal Details

Date and Place of birth: 15th April 1976, Chililabombwe, Zambia

ContactAddress: Disenveien 15, 0587, Oslo, Norway

Phone: +4747147964

StudioAddress: Villa Romsli kunstnersenter

Odvar Solbergs vei 83 på Romsås

Email: victorkesha@yahoo.com

Blog : http://mutelekesha.blogspot.com

Civilstatus. Married

Education.

2005-2007:MA Fine Arts, National Arts Academy, Oslo Norway

2001-2005:BA Fine Arts, National Arts Academy, Oslo, Norway

1998-2000:Diploma in art teaching - Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and

Commerce,Lusaka, Zambia

Selected Solo exhibitions

2012:June. One-man exhibition and performance at Small projects gallery. Tromsø.

2012:One-man exhibition at Gallery BOA. Oslo

2011: A thin line between art and activism. Public internvension in Nairobi.

2011: back to basics. IKM museum. Oslo, Norway

2009-2010: Urgent Matters. Gallery Palazio Tito, Venice,Italy

2008:Dagali meltdown. Henry Tayaly Art Centre, Lusaka, Zambia

2006:The Human Condition. Gallery fimbul, Oslo, Norway

2003: Story told. Gallery 2125, Oslo, Norway.

Selected group exhibitions.

2012. A-I-R program Nordic Artists'centre Dalsåsen. Norway.

2011. 4thinternational video-art festival Camagüey, Cuba

2010. Focus10.Basel, Switzerland

2009: The 10thHavana Biennial. Havana, Cuba

2008: Videoholicavideo art biennial. Varna, Bulgaria

2008. Recycling.Kunstbanken, Hedmark Kunstsenter, Hedmark, Norway

2007: InspectorGarbo. Galleri Fisk Bergen, Norway

2007: MastersGraduation Exhibition. Stenersenmusset, Oslo, Norway

2007: SANAAAFRICA. Horisont Foundation, Oslo, Norway

2007: SouthernComfort. Gallery 2125, Oslo, Norway

2007: More thanthis. Gallery kit, Trondheim, Norway

2006: NationalExhibition (Høstutstillingen). Kunstershus, Oslo, Norway

2006: BakFronten. UKS Gallery, Oslo, Norway

2006: DakarBiennial, Dakar, Senegal

2005: BachelorsGraduation Exhibion, Stenersen Museum, Oslo, Norway

2004: TambaCunda Public Art. Tamba Cunda, Senegal

2004: Red MillGallery. Vermont Studio Centre, JV, USA

2003: Differentstories. Gallery Ullensaker kunstforening. Jessheim, Oslo

Awards/Grants

2012: Platform China Residency Sponsored by OCA incollaboration with the

Norwegian Embassy in Beijing

2012: NordicArtists’ Centre Dalsåsen Sponsored by NorwegianMinistry Of Culture.

2011: OCA:Project ”thin line between art and activism”

2011: Vederlangsfond2011

2010 Norsk kulturråd. (Arts Council, Norway)

2009: 10thHavana Biennale, Nosk kulturråd, (Arts

Council,Norway)

2009: 02–funding from OCA. SupplementaryFunding for Residency in Venice

2009: 03–fundingfrom OCA. Funding to participate in the 10th Havana Biennial

2008: 03–fundingfrom OCA. Funding for Solo Show ‘Dagali Meltdown’ Zambia

NationalArt Council, Henry Tayali Art Gallery, Lusaka, Zambia

2007: Staten’sKunstnerstipend, stipend for graduating art students, Oslo,

Norway

2005: Staten’sKunstnerstipend, stipend for graduating art students, Oslo,

Norway

2004: Ford Fellow Award, (Ford foundation)

Residencies.

2012: Platform China in Beijing.

2012: NordicArtists’ Centre Dalsåsen

2011: Shortresidency at Kuona trust. Nairobi Kenya

2009: Art Enclosure, sponsered by Fondazione devenezia and hosted by

Fondazionebevilaqua la masa and gallery Tito, Venice, Italy

2004: Vermontstudio centre, sponsored by the ford foundation USA

Commissioned Work

2009: Nutritionfrom the written word, Sculpture. St. Edmund Church, Oslo,

Norway

2006: Ubuntu.Sculpture installation. Oslo University College (commissioned by

ProfessorRobert Smith)

Collections.

2010: oh! how nice! Jan Groth collection for the Rogaland Museum. Stavanger,

Norway

2009: Riseto the ashes, Fondazione de Venezia. Venice, Italy

2008:Proffesor Iver langmoen private collection. Stabakk, Oslo Norway

2006: JanGroth collection, Rogaland Museum. Stavanger, Norway

2006:Proffesor Iver langmoen private collection. Stabakk, Oslo Norway

2004:Dispalced energy. GailSwithenbank architecture collection New York

Bibliography.

2011: Backto basics. interview with Mara Ambrozic.

2009:Urgent Matters. By Danielle Biolcati and curator Mara Ambozic

www.bevilacqualamasa.it

2009: 10thHavana Biennial catalogue

2008:RECYCLING Catalogue, Kunstbanken hedmark kunstsenter.

2007:Avgangsutstillingen 2007. MA in fine arts, national arts academy. Oslo

2006:Høstutstillingen 2006 catalogue. National art exhibition in Norway.

2006: Dwellsin the mysterious. By Mona Larsen, Dagsavisen. Oslo

2006: Dakar Biennial catalogue

2005: ArtAcademy in exile. Yearbook 2005.

2004: ArtAcademy without walls. NORAD fellowship programme. Written by

TeresaGrøtan. Oslo.

2004: AnEnclave of Utopia. By Ben Hogwood. The transcript. Vermont USA

2003:Forskjellige Historier (Different stories) by Nina Skurud of Romerikes blad

JessheimOslo.

Workshops/conference.

2011: The Arts and GlobalDialogue Seminar at KHIO. Oslo

2008: Are there foreigners in art? National Museum of Art, Oslo, Norway

2007: Ecologythrough art/art through ecology, Trondheim Art Academy led by

JustinCarter, Glasgow School of Art

2007: Globalmigrants for climate action “Klimatreff”, Oslo, Norway

2007: Whose stories are being told? Collaboration between the

NationalMuseum of Art, Architecture and Design and the Academy of Fine

Art, Oslo,Norway

2006: Dakar Biennial. Senegal

Publiclectures.

2009: Art Enclosures. Lecture to New YorkUniversity (NYU) master students,

Venice, Italy

2009: Art Enclosures. Foundazione de Venezia,Venice, Italy

2007: Victor’s Choice. National Gallery,Oslo, Norway

Long-term art development project.

1996 - ongoing: ART ACADEMY WITHOUT WALLS. Lusaka Zambia

ProfessionalMemberships

The Norwegian Council for Africa (Advisory Board member)

NorskBilledkunstnere (NBK) Association of Norwegian Visual Artists

Billedkunstnerei Oslo og Akershus (BOA)

1999-2000: Memberof Arts Council of Zambia

Organisation oflocal art workshops in Lusaka, Zambia

1996-1997: Memberof Eastern province Visual Arts Council.

Founder Member of Chipata Art Centre, Zambia