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Nelson MakamoA New Lease of Life

Nelson M

akamo

A N

ew Lease of Life

Nelson Makamo

A New Lease of Life

10 July – 9 August 2014

2 3

Nelson Makamo was born in the Limpopo province in 1982 in

the small town of Nylstroom, now known as Modimolle. Makamo

matriculated from Modimolle High School and worked towards local

exhibitions in Modimolle, the Waterberg and the National Limpopo

Art exhibition. In 2003 Makamo moved to Johannesburg and joined

the Artist Proof Studio, an institution that affords young artists the

opportunity to learn how to become printmakers. In 2005 he was

awarded a bursary from Johnson & Johnson International and the

Pinpoint One Human Resources scholarship. In that same year,

Makamo graduated and received his Artist Proof Studio Certificate

in Advanced Professional Printmaking. Pinpoint One also sponsored

Makamo’s first solo exhibition in 2005 at the Obert Gallery in

Melrose Arch, Johannesburg. This exhibition attracted notice from

Matasis Investment Holdings who commissioned portraits of Nelson

Mandela, Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu from Makamo. In 2006 the

artist was invited to exhibit alongside South African heavyweights

in the Ten Years of Printmaking: David Krut Print Studio exhibition.

Exhibiting artists included David Koloane and William Kentridge,

a privilege for any emerging artist to work with such well-known

and experienced artists. In 2007 Makamo had his first international

exhibition in Somma Lombardo, Italy; closely followed by a solo

exhibition at Gallery Izarte in Zutphen, Netherlands. Makamo retains

an affiliation with the Artist Proof Studio, still printing work through

them. He worked at the Artist Proof Studio Gallery after graduating

in 2005 as a sales representative and a curator until January 2009

when he left to pursue his career as a full time artist. Nelson

Makamo exhibits regularly in group exhibitions and has had many

local and international solo exhibitions.

Known for his colourful portraits, Nelson

Makamo is a much celebrated young

South African artist currently working in

Johannesburg. Portraying mostly young

children in his portraits, his subjects wear

accessories such as oversized brightly

coloured glasses, cell phones, headphones,

neck ties, bow ties and bags. Bright and

playful colours reflect the youth of his

subjects and the diversity that surrounds

him. The artist uses a great range of media

including monotype prints, silkscreen,

watercolour, ink, charcoal drawing and oil

painting. Monotypes, as the name implies,

are usually unique, but in his monotypes he

uses ‘ghost’ printing where a second print is

made from the leftover ink of the first print.

The result is a translucent print which affords

him the luxury of working into the image, as

Makamo loves to combine techniques.

Nicola Kritzinger

Left: Acting older than we should (detail)

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It seems like yesterday I was just a kid Oil on canvas 150 x 150 cm A new lease of life Oil on canvas 200 x 200 cm Pages 6–7: Acting older than we should Oil on canvas 50 x 100 cm

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8 9

Patriotism Oil on canvas 50 x 200 cm

They say we’re very fortunate Oil on canvas 180 x 180 cm

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Love is conditional Oil on canvas 200 x 200 cm

I am here to enlighten II Oil on canvas 40 x 40 cm The whole world is waiting for me II Oil on canvas 40 x 40 cm

Untitled Oil on canvas 40 x 40 cm

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Nothing was the same Monoprint with pastel on paper 81.5 x 119 cm

Poser II Monoprint with pastel on paper 81.5 x 119 cm

Is everything still the same? Charcoal, oil paint and pastel on paper 208 x 140 cm

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They Call Charcoal and acrylic paint on paper 152.5 x 102.5 cm Go tell her what you like Charcoal and acrylic paint on paper 118 x 84 cm Boy Charcoal and acrylic paint on paper 100 x 70 cmJokes aside Monoprint with pastel on paper 119 x 81.5 cm

16 17

Stay Connected Monoprint with pastel on paper 119 x 81.5 cm

Looking back Monoprint with pastel on paper 119 x 81.5 cm Flip flops Monoprint with pastel on paper 119 x 81.5 cm

18 19

The whole world is waiting for me Monoprint with pastel and charcoal on paper 82.5 x 119 cmPower over love Charcoal and acrylic paint on paper 102 x 152.5 cm

20 21

Are you watching closely? Monoprint with pastel on paper 84 x 119 cm Staring ahead Monoprint with pastel on paper 81.5 x 119 cm

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The dynamics of commercial Oil, charcoal and pastel on paper 70 x 100 cm Young boy with glasses Monoprint with pastel on paper 83 x 120 cm

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Nelson Makamo CV

Solo Exhibitions2014 A New Lease of Life, Everard Read, Johannesburg2013 INTERMIXED with my realities and feelings, Salon 91,

Cape TownPrivate exhibition, Venice Biennale

2011 City Tales and Country Scapes, Museum Africa, Curated by Portia Malatjie, Johannesburg

2010 Movement, Factory Gallery2009 Sharing Realities II, African Studies Centre, Leiden,

NetherlandsWalk with Me, UTS Gallery, Edinburgh, ScotlandA Place I Call Home, Gallery on the Square, Johannesburg

2008 Moving into Light, KZNSA Gallery, DurbanSharing Realities, Gallery Izarte, Zutphen, Netherlands

2005 Walk with Me, Obert Contemporary Art Gallery, Johannesburg

Group Exhibitions2013 ArtAngels, Ellerman House charity auction2012 Figuring Difference curated by Andrew Lamprecht,

Salon91, Cape Town.21 Year Celebration of the Artists Proof Studio at the Johannesburg Art Gallery

2010 Young Contemporaries, Galerie Nikki Diana Marquardt, Paris, France My City, Arts on main, Johannesburg

2009 City Link, Gallery 23, Amsterdam, Netherlands Gallery on the Square, Sandton, Johannesburg

2007 Cultural and Business Art Exhibition, Somma Lombardo, Italy Making Identity, The Thompson Gallery, Johannesburg

2006 Ten Years of Printmaking, David Krut Print Studios, JohannesburgStudent and Staff Artists Proof Studio Exhibition, Gallery on the Square, Johannesburg

2003 Student and Staff Artists Proof Studio Exhibition, Wits Substation

Print Marathon RAU Art Gallery, Johannesburg (now UJ Art Gallery)

Print Marathon, Boston, USA

PublicationsKritzinger, N. (2014) Nelson Makamo, Everard Read

CatalogueLebitse, P. (2010) My work is my life, pain, joy. Sowetan The

Arts Section (2010) Street Art. True Love, p. 90

Hengen, E (2010) Das Wahre Gesicht Suidafrokas, Tageblatt, p. 18

Zvomuya, P. (2010) Jozi for the Alienated. Mail & Guardian, p. 6Thepa, M. (2011) Visual Art pushing the boundaries. The

New Age.Hamilton, N. (2012) Nelson Makamo, the well travelled

artist exhibits in Johannesburg. Homeless Talk.New exhibition: coming of age – Artist Proof Studio turns

21… (2012) House and Leisure.Turbine Art Fair (2013) Classic Feel Magazine.Zvomuya, P. & Jason, S. (2013) The August House that

fosters art. Mail & Guardian Online.

Local CollectionsCity of JohannesburgMatasis Investment HoldingsStandard CharteredTelkomUNISAVodacom

International CollectionsAnnie LennoxGeorgio ArmaniHanzehof Zutphense Kunstcollectie

Commissioned WorksA portrait was presented to the Mayor of Pretoria.A series of 10 Lekas Lekalakala portraits for a chamber

Lekalakala opened at Potgietersrus (now Mokopane).

Portraits of Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, and Walter Sisulu, for Matasis Investment Holdings. Matasis was named after the above mentioned political figures. (2005)

BRT Rea Vaya commissioned Makamo to produce an artwork for one of the bus stations. (2011)

Achievements2012 Won the Klipdrift Gold Artists Award.2011 Exhibited in the Reunion Biennale of Contemporary

Art2007 Awarded Art South Africa’s Seventh Bright Young

Thing 2005 Certificate in Advanced Professional Printmaking

Johnson & Johnson International BursaryPinpoint One Human Resources Scholarship

This exhibition catalogue is published

in conjunction with the exhibition

A New Lease of Life

at Everard Read, Johannesburg

10 July – 9 August 2014

Published in 2014 by Everard Read,

6 Jellicoe Avenue, Rosebank

Copyright © Everard Read

Copyright text © Nicola Kritzinger

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or

transmitted, in any form or by any means,

without prior permission from the publishers.

ISBN 978-0-9922366-0-1

Artwork photographs by James Fox

Designed by Kevin Shenton

Printed by Colour Magic (Pty) Ltd, Johannesburg

front cover

How will my story ever be told? Oil on canvas 180 x 180 cm

inside front cover

How will my story ever be told? (detail)

inside back cover

Boy (detail)