This Blue of Distance: New Work by Eyenga Bokamba. Opening Reception at Concordia University. Artist’s Talk with Seena Hodges and Eyenga Bokamba, November 3, 2022. Dr. Megan Arney Johnston, curator. Video credit Abdilatif Hassen.
St Paul, Minn. – Eyenga Bokamba presents This Blue of Distance, a series of paintings and light sculptures that expand our ideas of contemporary abstract painting through a poetic embodiment of intentionality.
“These intentionally abstract paintings embody the ideas of joy, yet also reflect serendipity, openness, walking in the present challenging times. The intentional centering of joy as an idea and activating force comes through the work from gesture and color and feeling. Yes, today’s world is complex and our work is never done to be an active part of change, but there are also moments of quiet and of reflection. These works offer us a poetic, visual language for such reflection and understanding; for embodiment. Through visual mapping and abstract mark-making Bokamba asks the viewer to consider a nuanced language of joy and contemplate the emotive gestures and practical transparency through which we may open up possibilities for reimagining the world and ourselves.” – Dr. Megan Arney Johnston, exhibition curator
Publication with an essay by Dr. Megan Arney Johnston published as part of the exhibition. PDF available upon request.
Minneapolis Institute of Art Foot in the Door Interview (2020)
About the Artist
Eyenga Bokamba (she/her/hers)
Eyenga Bokamba is a visual artist and designer whose creative practice is based in the United States and Italy. Among her accomplishments are a Bush Leadership Fellowship, four solo shows in the US and one in Italy and induction into the National Association of Women Artists. Bokamba currently serves as a board member of the National Performance Network.
Recent shows include What will I do with all this freedom? a solo show at the NAWA Gallery in New York City (2018), Personal Structures, a juried international group show in the Venice Biennale at the European Cultural Center (2019), the Minnesota Black Fine Arts Show (2019-2020) and the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s Foot in the Door 5 (2020-2021). “My greatest desire, says the artist, “is to create work that pivots on an axis of understanding and advances our collective consciousness about what it means to be alive, thriving and empathetic in today’s world.”
Upcoming shows include Holding Space for Possibility: New Paintings by Eyenga Bokamba on view April 23 – September 17, 2022 at the UM Physicians Mill City Clinic in Minneapolis and Color, Line, Form: Contemporary Abstract Art in Minnesota on view June 24 – August 13, 2022 at the Anderson Center in Red Wing, MN. Also stay turned for a solo show at Concordia College from October 13 - November 9, 2022!
The artist is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and Harvard University.
Holding Space for Possibility, UM Physicians Mill City Clinic ~ on view April 23 - September 14, 2022. Video credit Ryan Stopera.
Bascio Tower Exhibition Interview. Pennabilli, Italy (2018)