Windhoek
Namibian artist, Petrus Amuthenu, is hosting his second solo exhibition titled Freeing My Mind at the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN).
Opening yesterday, one sees his process from sketchbook to final product as a literal ‘freeing of his mind’. His training in cardboard printmaking has left his work with a distinct style. Though Petrus does not see himself exclusively as a printmaker, his careful layering of both content and process visually recalls his mastery of the craft. Testament to his diversity of skills, in this exhibition he is using pencil, charcoal, spray-paint, tipex, oil paint, water colour and printing ink, and a variety of different techniques within these media to create his works.
Petrus’ works draw on pop-culture and related motifs. A mix of media and technique, coupled with the use of urban, noticeably Namibian motifs, invites a local, young audience to relate and respond to his visual social commentary. His first solo exhibition was last year, Urban style / Kasi style. This year his work has been exhibited internationally at the Cape Town Art Fair and at Museum Würth in Germany.
Petrus was born in the coastal town of Swakopmund and grew up in northern Namibia in Uukwaludhi. In 1991 he moved to Windhoek where he attended school. Early on he entertained himself by drawing and sketching. In 2002 a chance encounter with the late artist Samuel Mbingilo at the Katutura Community Art Centre (KCAC) gave Petrus his first introduction to the Namibian art world. After this encounter he enrolled for art classes at the John Muafangejo Art Centre (JMAC) and completed two years of study with the College of the Arts (COTA). The exhibition runs September 3.