Tribal Marks by Kelechi Nwaneri

What if you could simply look at someone and be able to tell who they are and what they’ve experienced throughout their life. This is the feeling we get when we look at the works of Nigerian artist, Kelechi Charles Nwaneri.

Nwaneri’s art focuses on the central theme of exaggerated black people (brought to life with charcoal on canvas), who are essentially living their lives and striving for success, love, resilience, and relevance. And all that they’ve experienced is represented using African iconography, transcribed all over their skin, reminiscent of local African tribal marks.

Nwaneri also places these people within topical contexts that we are experiencing today, like climate change. For example, you will see subjects relaxing in their homes - but their homes are flooded. At the same time, he looks forward in time too, to imagine what life could be in the future; for example, floating houses in the backdrop of a piece. But no matter where they live, each marked subject is living.

See some of his works below, and let us know what you think.