Artist statement
Sometimes I like to piece portraits together that plug the gaps in my understanding of self, African history and African culture. Other times I like to paint using candid photos of everyday life to resurface the stories of the every person and make them the conduits through which we visualise real life. Recently I’ve been exploring this while preserving the identity of those individuals. Rather it is a borrowing of their story to engage in conversation with an audience.
BIO
Keleenna is a visual artist who uses the language of street and portraiture photography to discuss the missed subtleties of everyday life while reviewing the lenses through which we have come to frame it. He has exhibited work across the UK and in Nigeria including two Solo Street photography exhibitions on everyday life in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
- Frome Photography Festival, Frome, UK, June 2023
- La Biennale di Venezia 2023 (Venice Biennale), Venice, Italy, May 2023
- Playing the Race Card, Hastings, UK, October 2022
- Power & Glory, Brady Arts Centre, London, UK, October 2022
- Garden Tales, August, London,UK, Aug 2022
- Release, August, London,UK, Aug 2022
- Black British City Group Generosity Charity Ball, London, UK, Jul 2022
- A Celebration of Black Art: Hammersmith BID, London, UK, Nov 2021
- Beauty and Power: Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK, Oct 2021
- Free Form: Arebyte Gallery, London UK, Oct 2021
- Inside my DNA: Dark Yellow Dot, Genesis Theatre, London, UK, Oct 2020
- Black British City Group Generosity Charity Ball, London, UK, Sep 2019
- Black British Visual Artist Monthly Showcase: London, UK, May 2019:
- Recentering Africa: Photocarrefour Africa, Abuja, Nigeria, Oct 2019
Solo Exhibitions:
- Looking Back: #18 Open Source photographer, Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, UK, Oct 2020
- A glimpse of Lagos: A street photography exploring work and travel, Juju's Bar and Stage, London, UK, Feb 2019
- A glimpse of Port Harcourt: A street photography exploring life in the city, London, UK, Nov 2019 [Online link]
Press:
- The Rouge collective, 2021, Taboo Beauty [Link]
- Open Eye Gallery, 2020 - Open Source Interview [Link]
- London School of economics, 2020: Surviving and Thriving: A Black History Month Artistic Celebration [Link]
- Culture Custodian, 2019- A Glimpse of Port Harcourt [Link]
- GUAP Magazine, 2019 - A Glimpse of Lagos [Link]
- Also featured in Notting Hill Carnival Magazine and Africa Foto Magazine
previous clients
- Notting Hill Carnival Magazine, Africa London Fashion Week, Afronation Music Festival
For enquiries: keleennao@gmail.com