#alfred conteh
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“Daishon” (2022), acrylic, atomized brass dust, and atomized steel dust on canvas, 120 x 84 inches.
In ‘It Is What It Is,’ Alfred Conteh Takes a Realistic Approach to Examining Life for Black Southerners
The urgency of Alfred Conteh’s portraits lies in the present. He portrays Black people he meets around Atlanta, creating monumental works that accentuate the material both physically and metaphorically, in their mediums and the critical analysis of current social conditions.
All images © Alfred Conteh, courtesy of Kavi Gupta
“Stanton Road Water Boys” (2022), acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas, 84 x 84 inches
Left: “Shampoo” (2022), acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas, 84 x 48 inches. Right: “IWB Shawty” (2022), acrylic, urethane plastic, and atomized steel dust on canvas, 84 x 48 inches
“Loretta (Ms. T)” (2022), acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas, 120 x 84 inches
#alfred conteh#artist#art#it is what it is#black southerners#african americans#paintings#social conditions#photographer#kavi gupta
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Art Review: Alfred Conteh's It Is What It Is
Alfred Conteh's solo exhibition It Is What It Is provides a compelling depiction of the identity and culture of present-day Atlanta and its people. Conteh's exhibition consists of portraits of African-Americans he encounters around the city. Each portrait is titled with the name or nickname of its subject, and with at least 5 feet in height, they tower over the viewer. Situated in the Kavi Gupta gallery in the West Loop of Chicago, this exhibit provides a larger-than-life glimpse into life on the other end of the country.
It Is What It Is is housed in a single room, confronting the viewer with an unobstructed view of every portrait all at once. However, it is upon closer inspection that the subjects come to life. To start with, each work is incredibly detailed and almost photorealistic, allowing the expression of the subject to be communicated. The works on the left half of the room are half-body or full body shots. Conteh captures their particular body language and demeanor, which conveys a great sense of their personality. To the right are the portraits that depicted their subjects only from the neck up. Although these portraits have less personality and character (in addition to being smaller), they added to the diversity on display. Despite being composed of the same or similar materials, each piece has a unique color palette and impression.
The aspect of the paintings that stuck out to me most was the physical depth of the works. Conteh made use of urethane plastic and brass and steel dust in order to create an impression of old paint peeling off. In addition, the canvases are not framed, as if the painting were truly coming off of or embedded into the wall. In my opinion, the way the paint comes off of the canvas is the highlight of these works, as it adds a physical dimension and concreteness to the piece unachievable with a basic photograph or painting. For me, the peeling immediately evoked images of the rust on decaying and decrepit buildings and bridges. In this way, Conteh suggests that there is a fundamental link between Black Atlantans and the environment they inhabit. Despite a history of hardship and suffering, both are tough and resistant. These two components, the subject of the painting and the material Conteh uses, create an impressive and substantial sense of life in the exhibit.
A further investigation into the person and story behind each work only serves to reinforce the connection between Black Americans and their environment. For instance, one of the most memorable pieces, Stanton Road Water Boys, depicts three young men selling water bottles by the side of the road. As described in the exhibit guidebook, selling water bottles is how they make a living. However, the police often run them off due to their not holding a license. This backstory adds a tragic economic and social dimension to an otherwise amicable and casual depiction of youth. Conteh's decision to pick subjects with a story is part of the instructive nature of the exhibit. Because of the real, lived histories of the subjects of Conteh's work, the exhibit provides a crystal-clear example of the Black experience in the American South.
Conteh's emphasis on the personhood of African-Americans is even reflected in the background of each work. As opposed to perhaps depicting an urban landscape behind them or some other physical feature, the background is strictly of some textured material. As a result, the viewer's attention is focused entirely on the subject and their manner of existence. The material strongly resembles metal or concrete. Here, the peeling of the paint comes into play, as the cracks and ripples overlap and interrupt the figure. This mixing between the subject and the surface they are painted upon seems to express the integration between the subjects and the material makeup of Atlanta.
Alfred Conteh's exhibition here in Chicago is a long distance from Conteh's previous exhibitions. The guidebook points out that his work tends to be shown in the South, particularly Georgia and Alabama. In my opinion, this removal of the works from their place of origin does not do the exhibit many favors. Furthermore, the Kavi Gupta Gallery is located in a majority non-Black neighborhood of Chicago, putting further distance between the exhibit and its audience. Because of the emphasis on people and their stories, the works hardly provide a substantive view of their everyday life. The exhibit provides only a snapshot of their livelihood, and is thus less likely to provoke a discussion about African-American lives.
Nevertheless, It Is What It Is is certainly worth checking out for those who have the time. This exhibit is certainly something that should be experienced in person, as the peeling and material detail will truly shine. I think it is important to consider and contemplate these works fully, as the subject is lifted directly from our present. As a result, each person visiting the exhibit has some connection or relation to the subjects, whether on a personal or national level. It Is What It Is provides, as the title suggests, a way of looking at the world that is truthful and genuine. This exhibit will certainly challenge the way you interpret the world and society around us. The exhibit is open until March 4, 2023, which means there is only a little time left to see it for yourself.
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In ‘It Is What It Is,’ Alfred Conteh Takes a Realistic Approach to Examining Life for Black Southerners
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Some of my favorites from the Opening Preview and Vernissage of Expo Chicago last night. (And, as always, the best part was running into old art friends! Since I mask up, folks recognized me via my eyes, hair, and shoes. 😅) The art fair opens to the public today!
Alfred Conteh (@aaconteh), Loretta (Ms. T) (2022), acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas, Kavi Gupta.
Aaron Curry, Phantom (2010), painted wood, Michael Werner Gallery + Andrea Galvani, Instruments for Inquiring into the Wind and the Shaking Earth (2023), hand-blown white Murano glass mounted on artisanal metal structures, Galería Curro.
Ebony G. Patterson, ...pink...red...striped..carnations... (2021-2), collage on canvas, moniquemeloche.
Alia Ali, Foto Relevance.
Melissa Leandro, Andrew Rafacz Gallery.
Antonio Santín, Saudade (2022), oil on canvas, Marc Straus.
Mary Reid Kelley & Patrick Kelley, Night Kitchen (2021), plaster, wood, metal pipe, paint, LED screens, Fredericks & Freiser.
Edra Soto in front of her Graft Stars (2023), carved MDF, latex paint, mirrors, viewfinders, inkjet prints + Graft MDB (2020-3), sintra, aluminum, viewfinders, inkjet prints, latex paint, Luis de Jesus.
Shawn Huckins, Duran|Mashaal.
Lily Scout Kwong, Motherfire (2023), 55 shou sugi ban posts and saplings, Art at a Time Like This, Natural Resources Defence Council.
More of my highlights on Facebook & Instagram.
(c) Jenny Lam 2023
#contemporary art#colorful#installation art#painting#modern art#art fair#chicago#art#fine art#sculpture#light#mixed media#architecture#interiors#inspiration#design#photos#photography#black art#portraiture
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Alfred Conteh
Loretta (Ms. T), 2022
Acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas
120 × 84 in | 304.8 × 213.4 cm
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Alfred Conteh (American, b. 1975), Jimmy. Acrylic and urethaane plastic on canvas, 84 x 47.5 in.
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Alfred Conteh
Ryan Coogler
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“Minnesota” (2022), acrylic and atomized steel dust on canvas, 25 x 25 inches
In ‘It Is What It Is,’ Alfred Conteh Takes a Realistic Approach to Examining Life for Black Southerners
The urgency of Alfred Conteh’s portraits lies in the present. He portrays Black people he meets around Atlanta, creating monumental works that accentuate the material both physically and metaphorically, in their mediums and the critical analysis of current social conditions.
All images © Alfred Conteh, courtesy of Kavi Gupta
Left: “Reesie” (2020), acrylic and urethane plastic on canvas, 48 x 36 x 3 inches. Right: “Reneé” (2020), acrylic and atomized steel dust on canvas, 48 x 36 x 3 inches
“Isiah (The Boxer, The Bouncer)” (2021), acrylic and atomized bronze dust on canvas, 60 x 60 inches
#alfred conteh#artist#art#photographer#portraits#it is what it is#black southerners#african americans#social conditions
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ARTIST: Alfred Conteh
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some highlights from Art Expo Chicago ‘18. Artists’ names from top left-to-right: Derrick Adams; Raimonds Staprans; Jason Bailer Losh; Derrick Adams; Alfred Conteh; Tyler Mitchell; Alex Katz; Pete Jacobs; Prune Nourry; Grace Weaver; Lenz Geerk; Simone Leigh.
#Art Expo#Art Expo Chicago#Derrick Adams#Raimonds Staprans#Jason Bailer Losh#Alfred Conteh#Tyler Mitchell#Alex Katz#Pete Jacobs#Prune Nourry#Grace Weaver#Lenz Geerk#Simone Leigh
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Kirby, Alfred Amadu Conteh, 2017
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Alfred Conteh @aaconteh 🔥 "Anthony and Maurice" (2019) 120" x 96" Acrylic and Atomized Steel Dust on Canvas Private Collection #supportblackart #alfredconteh #twofronts #painting #acrylic #portraiture #miamiartbasel #negritude #contemporaryart #blackart #africanamericanartists #africanamericanart #mixedmediaart #fountainheadresidency https://www.instagram.com/p/B5v-xWMh4sO/?igshid=1wa09dfncplu7
#supportblackart#alfredconteh#twofronts#painting#acrylic#portraiture#miamiartbasel#negritude#contemporaryart#blackart#africanamericanartists#africanamericanart#mixedmediaart#fountainheadresidency
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