Auction: Bonhams Modern & Contemporary African Art features Uche Okeke works
Published 26 September 2024 in The Work
Uche Okeke Legacy Editorial
Uche Okeke’s Crucifixion Series and Portrait of Kwame Nkrumah is up for auction in Bonhams Modern & Contemporary African Art.
This is Bonhams autumn auction for 2024, and features an exceptional selection of pieces from Modern and Contemporary artists across Africa. Alongside Uche Okeke is Ben Enwonwu, Esther Mahlangu, who will feature a mural at Frieze London later this month, Gerard Sekoto, Marlene Dumas and William Kentridge.
Crucifixion Series
Uche Okeke was exposed to stained-glass and learnt the skill during his time in Munich, where he created Fourteen Stations of the Cross for the St Peter's Catholic Church chapel, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. When he returned from Germany and became the Art Director of the Mbari Art Centre, Enugu, in 1963, he was struck by a creative fervour to depict the Passion of Christ, which became a recurring theme in his work.
Crucifixion Series, gouche on paper, 1963
Crucifixion Series are a series of gouache works that embody his connection to spirituality and his search for ways to merge Christian iconography with his Igbo heritage. These pieces reflect not only the emotional intensity of the Passion of Christ, but also Okeke's desire to understand human suffering and redemption, themes that carry across his broader body of work.
Portrait of Kwame Nkrumah
Portrait of Kwame Nkrumah was created at a point in Uche Okeke’s his career where the intersection of African politics and art is the most evident. It captures not only the likeness of Kwame Nkrumah, a central figure in Pan-Africanism and Ghana’s first president, but the aura of leadership and determination that marked Nkrumah's role in the decolonization of Africa.
Kwame Nkrumah was a symbol of independence and African unity, having played a vital role in leading Ghana to independence from British colonial rule in 1957, making it the first African nation to gain independence in the post-colonial era. His vision extended beyond Ghana and he became a vocal supporter of Pan-Africanism - a movement aimed at unifying African nations against colonialism and imperialism which resonated with Uche Okeke’s philosophy and practice. Portrait of Kwame Nkrumah showcases how Okeke would use his work to engage with and support significant African leaders during pivotal times, and is a clear example of how art can be used to support movements and shift politics to bring the power back to the people.
Bonhams Modern & Contemporary African Art was a live at London, New Bond Street, on the 16th October 2024 at 15:00 BST. To view the auction results visit Bonhams Modern & Contemporary African Art. You can also read their article, Marlene Dumas and William Kentridge Lead Bonhams Modern & Contemporary African Art Sale, to find out about the exhibition highlights.