Alex Kwizera’s signature Kwiz Era in not new for people around the general art scene.
He is an illustrator whose works have been used in newspapers, children story books and at times as murals at events.
For instance, the one he made for American/Nigerian rapper Jidenna and the Abryans Fashion and Style Awards last year.
On Saturday, Kwizera invited the public for his first art exhibition in 10 years.
The showcase brings together various styles, some known of Kwizera and others totally a revelation, for instance, even when many people have seen his illustrations, not many have interacted with his sculptures.
The show brought together a body of work that may have had a specific message but not tied down to styles and mediums, as he likes saying, mediums usually box people, thus, his expression wasn’t limited.
Aptly, titled Consciousness, Inner Fundamentals, the exhibition addressed issues around identity, nature, health and the relationship man has with nature.
Many of the works exhibited have been works in progress for a time, yet others started coming together during the lockdown, thus, it became easy for him to include works that addressed situations such as Covid-19.
What makes Kwizera’s works standout is their accessibility, he communicates when he has to and even when his work is abstract, one won’t scratch the head as much to get the story. It is a trait that many visual artists lack, accessibility. Through the exhibition, some artworks suggested that humanity can fight the virus with support from natural remedies such as fruits, vegetables and herbs, while other works were intending to show that humanity is just a big part of the puzzle where plants and animals are also pieces.
The exhibition was held at the industrial area’s makers’ space Motiv, it was the first art exhibition at the space and gladly, with the help of Trevor Mukholi, the curator.
They pulled off the show.
Motiv brings together creatives in areas such as design, fashion, carpentry, food and media. The place acts as a hub where these creatives can easily collaborate and network to create an impact in these fields.
For this exhibition, part of the space had to be turned into a gallery though, as opposed to traditional galleries, this is set up in a workspace thus, was interactive most of the time.
The exhibition is open for a month and at the beginning of the year, various talks about mental health and opportunities in art will be held, still at the same space.
akaggwa@ug.nationmedia.com