africanah.org

Arena for Contemporary African, African-American and Caribbean Art

Robert Nzaou-Kissolo

roberthorn-blower

 

Robert Nzaou-Kissolo, a Congolese photographer based in South
Africa

Horn Blower, 2016.

About the the project (Me & Ms Lily):

The ‘Me and Ms Lily’ project is about myself, as artist, as black male, the African and the Congolese, facing my buried fears, my emotions and my insecurities. A self portrait… In order to realise this project I couldn’t think of a better companion than a flower. I chose Arum lilies as I find them elegant and beautiful andin botany the flowers are unisexual and are considered ‘naked’ flowers as they have no perianth(no sepals and petals). As this project was intended to ‘strip down to basics’, I found this appealing.

robertnaked-truth

Naked Truth, 2016.

robertbest-friends

Best Friends, 2016.

robertgrounded

Grounded, 2016.

robertlovers

Lovers, 2016.

robertying-yang

Ying Yang, 2016.

Together with Ms lily I overcame my shyness, I was able to blow my own horn for a change (*horn blower*), go for what is mine (*hunter*), protect my loved ones (*warrior*), to remember my playfulness, the young man in me (*Playboy*), not to fear death because it’s part of life (*till the end of
time*), not to worry because you are never alone (*best friends*), not to be too quick to judge because there are always two sides to any story (*ying yang*), you need to stand firm for what you believe no matter what (*grounded*), life is beautiful when you go with the flow, bend the rules (*stream
of life*), being naked is the only time you truly see and face yourself, go to that place now and then (*naked truth*), love is gentle (*lovers*), seek the truth the naked eye can’t see (*binoculars*), everything is energy (*kundalini*).(text the artist)