Left: Self Portrait IV, Right: Head, both from the series Human Human encounters, 2014 © Kadara Enyeasi_Red Hook Labs
In the age of the dreaded selfie, self-portraiture has reached saturation point. The introspective turn of the “front camera” has changed the way we communicate, and has left us to drowning in a sea of faces. It begs the question: what space does this deluge of self-expression leave for self-portraiture in art?
Using his own body as a muse, the art of Nigerian photographer Kadara Enyeasi aims to explore this quandary. The European art world has been quick to welcome the Lagos-born photographer — he’s already a FOAM talent, and set to show at UNSEEN. Yet the reception for his work in his homeland has been lukewarm. These contrasting responses immediately raise questions about the co-option of black bodies by the European art scene, and the fetishisation of black bodies through art in general. We caught up with the 23-year-old to talk about the self, Nigeria, and the representation of black bodies in the art world.
Idowu, from the series Human Encounters, 2015 © Kadara Enyeasi_Red Hook Labs
How did you get into photography?
I got into photography at the age of 13. Back then, my sister was an aspiring model, and we were gifted with a 2MP Nikon camera (which I still have) that Christmas. I started out taking photographs for her portfolio, and then later, I turned the camera on my other siblings. I continued this form of timed, performative photography, which I learned later on was viewed as an art form.
What are the main ideas behind your work?
My work revolves around performance, black body stereotypes, and politics. Recently, I’ve been really into abstraction; particularly reducing the human silhouette to an abstract form. I see my work as very political because it centres around the black male nude specifically. In a highly religious and traditional country like Nigeria, the male figure is seen as a taboo, and its exploration in art is minimal. My work challenges that.
Self Portrait I, from the series Human encounters, 2017 © Kadara Enyeasi_Red Hook Labs
Much of your work is self-portraiture, what have you discovered about yourself through using your body as your subject?
My self-portraiture is performative. I don’t think too much before I turn the lens on myself. I got into self-portraiture because I wanted a model who could be totally vulnerable in front of the camera. I wanted to show a particular softness in masculinity that most men in Lagos didn’t want to identify with. It’s more about me communicating through the use of my body.
You’ve said previously that you’re not always happy with the response to your work in Nigeria. Why do you think the ideas are better received elsewhere?
Nigerians, in my opinion, enjoy things that they are comfortable with. Recycled ideas, similar themes. And to be totally honest, there is nothing wrong with that. My issue begins when they shut out new ideas because they don’t understand or feel that it challenges some ideal they believe in.
How has Nigeria influenced your work?
I am not entirely sure I have a positive response to that question.
Self Portrait III, from the series Human Encounters, 2014 © Kadara Enyeasi_Red Hook Labs
What are your thoughts on the fetishisation of black bodies in art, particularly in the “West”, and how does this change the way you work?
Let’s be honest here, it’s all a trend. I believe genuine photographers willing to express something through the black figure will do so effortlessly and the resulting work will speak for itself, devoid of imitation and mediocrity.
You’ve talked about the correlation between art and identity — how has your own identity shaped or been shaped by your art practice?
I like to believe I am two separate people, and at the same time still the same person. It’s similar to the dual nature of Yoruba orishas in traditional folklore. When I am working, I am engrossed in the process, totally immersed. I began making paintings of my photographs, and I compare the feeling of making them to divination. I believe I was without an idea of my ‘self’ before I began taking photographs. The art itself has shaped my everyday self: dressing, walking, thinking, down to my basic interaction with family, friends, and strangers I encounter daily.
Self Portrait III, from the series Human Encounters, 2014 © Kadara Enyeasi_Red Hook Labs
You worked on “Human Encounters” for a number of years. How did your work progress throughout this period and how has this influenced your current work?
“Human Encounters” began my first series of self-portraits. So far, I’ve been shooting the body of work for 7 years, under different series headings. “This house is not a home”, “I am not home today, come back tomorrow”, “Have you ever wondered”, “In my house there are so many objects”, and more recently “Scenario”. The series have evolved over the years to become their own living things. I see myself shooting with the same initial ideas till this very day, each time finding a new crack in the door to explore.
What was collaborating with Foam and UNSEEN like?
The show at FOAM curated by Azu Nwagbogu came as a shock to me. The work shown was a continuation of the “L’Ouverture” series I began in 2015 that was entered for a group presentation at the African Artists’ Foundation in Lagos. UNSEEN as well! I participated in the Nataal X Red Hook Labs New African Photography exhibition this year and I was honoured to get feedback about my work from people I didn’t even know. People that knew me through my work. It’s been a blessing.
Kadara Enyeasi’s work is on show at this year’s UNSEEN Photo Festival in Amsterdam, which runs from 22 – 24 September.