Ismael Shivute to showcase solo exhibition
Fresh n Wild At Utopia will be hosting a solo exhibition, ‘I Keep My Circle Small’, by Ismael Shivute from 25 October to 13 November, in collaboration with StArt Art Gallery.
The exhibition is open to all and opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 07:30 to 21:30 and Sundays from 07:30 to 16:00.
Ismael Shivute often works in mixed media such as metal and organic materials, over the last two years, but now he has responded to the global pandemic by returning to the soapstone medium.
Sourced locally from quarries on the outskirts of Windhoek, Shivute found that soapstone provided the right balance of resistance and pliability and he feels that each stone suggests its ideal form to him in the process of making.
Shivute said that as human beings, whether you like it or not, you are going to go through a time where your circle of friends will get smaller by the year, even though some of us fail to realise that we need to shed certain friendship in order to grow in life.
“And whether you are successful or not as of yet, the smaller your circle, the fewer people you will have to worry about taking care of and you do not need a big circle because you will never know who is drilling a hole in your boat,” added Shivute.
“As an artist, I am only inspired by my environment, recycled or used materials, and the feel of things made by hand. I feel that my art reflects a unique Namibian identity, as well as my own identity as a young artist struggling to survive in the world,” said Shivute.
Shivute has created philosophical sculptures that hold together feelings of harmony and calm in the face of challenges and the impetus behind this exhibition’s theme ‘I Keep My Circle Small’, relates directly to his experiences of social circles.
Shivute studied Sculpture in the Department of Visual Arts at the College of the Arts and he has participated in many group exhibitions locally and intentionally and had a solo exhibition at the National Art Gallery of Namibia in 2016. Shivute’s mixed media artworks are inspired by his environment, often working with found or recycled materials drawn from the area in which he lives.
