Recently named Artist of the Year by the Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin, Wangechi Mutu creates regal, talismanic depictions of the female body that take cultural anthropology to a new level.
Mutu came to the US from her native Kenya to study anthropology in addition to fine art, and her shimmering mixed-media collages, paintings, and drawings show both influences. Their richly sensual, organic power and jaunty, jazzy grace posit the literal layering of commercial, private, and collective symbolic imagery as a stand-in for the creation of identity.
Check out images from Mutu’s recent exhibitions at LA’s Susanne Vielmetter Projects, watch a video interview with the artist, and if you’re in Berlin, visit her My Dirty Little Heaven exhibition through June .
Click through below to view a gallery of Mutu’s work.
Drowning Nymph III, 2007, Ink, paint, mixed media, plant material, and plastic pearls on X-ray paper, 14 x 17 inch © Wangechi Mutu and Victoria Miro Gallery, Ole Faarup Collection, Copenhagen
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Comments (4)
You young lady are completely lovely and so is your breathtaking work. I am grateful to the Economist for spotlighting this superb artist of distinction here in your very cool newspaper. At long last, an artist of fine caliber continues to get the praise and exposure that she so obviously deserves. My congratulations go out to you, Wangechi Mutu and I look forward to seeing more of your magnificent art. Are you on Facebook?
Truly a fusion of mixed media, anthropomorphic styling’s, with a hint of surrealism.
Hey A.J., we do love the Economist, but we are our own publication all the way. This is pure Flavorpill love right here.
Hi Doug,
Image #3 is not oriented correctly. It should be turned one rotation counterclockwise…
Thank you.
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