DECOLONIZE: new paintings by Mahader Tesfai

Eritrean born artist Mahader Tesfai resides in Berkeley California.  Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area to parents who fought in the struggle for Eritrean independence, Tesfai grew up with a constant recognition of his African antecedent.  Working with acrylic and oil paints on found objects Mahader Tesfai has created a new series of prolific paintings inspired by his recent travels through Germany, Eritrea, Egypt, and India.

Although Tesfai's work is varied and copious, working with a variety of materials, symbols and styles, he is perhaps best known for his series of faces that serve as stalwart mnemonics of African humanity.  In each of his pieces the surreal meets fidelity in a collision of colors and often abstract symbolism in an attempt to assert to the viewer the complex reality of being an African in diaspora.  His paintings and illustrations depict an almost otherworldly view of Africans, their faces often in deep contemplation and couched in visual symbolism.

Perhaps Negritude theorist and poet  Aime Cesaire said it best when he wrote, "Colonization = Thingification," Tesfai's work stands as a clear opposition to colonization in its ability to transform the subjugated and often "thingified" image of Africans to a richly nuanced  humanism. His is an art of inspiration, an art of communal cohesions, an art that reminds us of our ancestral struggle and contemporary efficacy.  These new pieces at Guerilla Café serve as a wonderful affirmation of African identities and communities, whether in diaspora or in their homelands.

Comments

[m]

Amazing works. I've posted a brief write up on my site as well. Tesfai looks like an artist to watch; I haven't been this impressed by a local artist in I can't remember how long. Thanks for introducing me to such an talented artist. Looking forward to seeing the work in person. (Oh, and the last par. in your post is repeated , just so you know.)

[friend]

Wow. Wow. Wow... This show, & this cafe is the best vibe I've drank a cup of coffee to in a long long time. Please keep it up!