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Lot Essay
A unifying thread throughout Misheck Masamvu’s practice is its oscillation between figuration and abstraction. Distant, dreamlike figures emerge from out of his abstract compositions before receding back into swirling pools of colour. Born in Zimbabwe, Masamvu studied at the historic Atelier Delta in Harare followed by the Kunstakademie in Munich. He initially developed a photorealistic approach which gradually morphed into his celebrated looser avant-garde style. His works bear witness to the combined influence of German Expressionism and Neo-Expressionism. He has also found fame in Harare for restoring vintage cars.
Watching TV from Across the Street is a dynamic and enigmatic painting. The palette is more restrained than his later works, and the figure more pronounced. The title offers us certain cues, however: the figure is slumped over as if he has been shot, appearing to be watching TV in the most passive way imaginable, immobilised as he watches the images unfold. On the screen we see what appear to be marks on the road leading straight then abruptly left. To the right we see what appears to be a roadblock hazard sign. The work’s power lies in its ambiguity. Masamvu is a master in coded or cryptic political messages, offering questions and half-truths for the viewer to meditate upon.
Misheck Masamvu represented Zimbabwe at the 54th Venice Biennale 2011 and the Sydney Biennale in 2020, as well as being shown at the following Zeitz MOCAA exhibitions: All things being equal (2017); Five Bhobh - Painting at the End of an Era (2018-2019); and Two Together (2019). Masamvu is represented by Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, Cape Town and London.
Watching TV from Across the Street is a dynamic and enigmatic painting. The palette is more restrained than his later works, and the figure more pronounced. The title offers us certain cues, however: the figure is slumped over as if he has been shot, appearing to be watching TV in the most passive way imaginable, immobilised as he watches the images unfold. On the screen we see what appear to be marks on the road leading straight then abruptly left. To the right we see what appears to be a roadblock hazard sign. The work’s power lies in its ambiguity. Masamvu is a master in coded or cryptic political messages, offering questions and half-truths for the viewer to meditate upon.
Misheck Masamvu represented Zimbabwe at the 54th Venice Biennale 2011 and the Sydney Biennale in 2020, as well as being shown at the following Zeitz MOCAA exhibitions: All things being equal (2017); Five Bhobh - Painting at the End of an Era (2018-2019); and Two Together (2019). Masamvu is represented by Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, Cape Town and London.