“A being that changes colour like a chameleon, so it quickly blends into whatever environment it is in.  It seems to appear and disappear, you may try to follow it but quickly realise you can’t, it can sneak up on you and seems to speak to you but you don’t understand, it is everywhere and nowhere.”

We all began to nod at his description of what is an animal but could also be a process of trying to find one’s way in a new circumstance, or of trying to understand one’s own emotional landscape. It seemed the perfect word for what the group was exploring.

In recent times Elkana lost his wife, Moses lost his daughter, Iddi lost her mother, Musa lost his mother…. each loss significant and different. The way each of these amazing artists processed and continue to process these losses as individuals and as a group is at the centre of this exhibition. And yet, as much as there is sorrow in this space, there is also something positive - a recognition and appreciation of life, of relationships, of the energy and love between us that does not die but transforms into something more. This came out from the very first conversation we had together, and again the descriptions of these feelings and perspectives were met with a lot of nodding and smiles of recognition and connection.

Musa spoke of spirit and a continued relationship with his mother who had transitioned to her nonphysical form.  Moses reflected on the relationships he formed with people he would have never interacted with if his daughter hadn’t been ill - the hospital security guards, the other children getting treatment, and from all this he realised what a small world it was. Iddi’s mother continues to show up in her dreams and as unsettling as this can be sometimes, she recognises how well and whole her mother has become. Elkana talked about the many times his life has had to enter a new chapter and to adjust, as he has to now, and what this means for him.  We talked openly about how uncommon it is to have these kinds of conversations about loss and change and how important it is. We talked about the future of this work, the future of these connections and conversations.  And though each individual in this space has a different art practice, the four artists found an unspoken connection between their pieces… and also between their life experiences that can only be explained with the word, “Ekenyagwechwechachwecheria.”

Suzanne and Eric
Curators