The prolific and diversified artistic practice of Yonamine, born in Angola in 1975, includes painting, drawing, graffiti, photography, video, among other media. Growing up between Zaire, Brazil and the United Kingdom, he mainly lives and works now in Harare, dividing the rest of his time between Luanda, Lisbon and Berlin. His influences come from all genres and aspects of contemporary art and music.

His work is articulated by complex installations, large murals, photographs and videos. In his practice, the artist uses an immense scope of objects and materials, such as newspapers, silkscreen, drawings and collage in which images from popular culture, slogans and political figures from the African continent and from the world are superimposed. In this dense complexity of research, Yonamine builds a peculiar and unique vocabulary on these references and his convictions, also showing aspects of history that have been omitted. His installations are like personal diaries and explorations of African history and politics, with the post-colonialist discussions as central point in many of his works. With compositions of today’s iconography, the artist reconstructs and creates new symbols, that refer both to his individual vision, and to a global perception of revolt against social injustice.

In collaboration with Tiago Borges, he presented in 2020 the exhibition Homo Kosmos (Cough Cough) at Avenida da India Gallery, and had a solo exhibition Union Jacking, Voice of the Voice£ess, Cristina Guerra Gallery in 2019, both in Lisbon. Other solo exhibitions include Não Sou Santo (I’m Not a Saint], in 2016, at the Cristina Guerra Gallery in Lisbon; Luz veio [Light came], in 2013 at Elinga Theatre, in Luanda, Angola; and in 2010 SOSO arte contemporânea africana, in São Paulo, Brazil. His work has been included in various international exhibitions, such as: China Africa – Crossing the world color line, at Centre Pompidou, France 2020; Indivíduo. Cidade. Metamorfose at Jahmek Contemporary Art in Luanda, Angola, 2018; Chibuku Disco, Yonamine and Friends, at Njelele Art Station in Harare, Zimbabwe, 2017; 15^th Istanbul Biennial in Turkey, 2017; 31^st São Paulo Biennale in Brazil, 2014.

His work is represented in various collections; Centre Pompidou (France), PLMJ Foundation (Portugal), SD Collection – Sindika Dokolo African Contemporary Art (Angola) and The Frank-Suss Collection (United Kingdom); Yonamine participated in artistic residences at Delfina Foundation in 2018 (United Kingdom), Bundanon Trust in 2012 (Australia), Muyehlekete MuzArt – Museu Nacional de Arte in 2008 (Mozambique) and ZDB in 2007 (Portugal).

DC, april 2021

Santiago Ydánez

Artworks

Sem título [Untitled]2004

Erwin Wurm

Yonamine