Usually, artists are portrayed as lone geniuses working in solitude. This isn’t the case for South African-born artist Keya Tama whose solo exhibition at Harman Initiatives, The place Our Worlds Meet, options collaborative artworks created with distinguished artists from across the globe. Spanning years of artistic exploration, this exhibition presents perception into Tama’s profession and community-minded method, highlighting the wealthy tapestry of his creative journey by collaboration.
Earlier than the exhibition opened, Keya caught up with Harman Initiatives to debate his collaborative course of, mixing private types, and what’s subsequent for this younger artist.
The exhibition format of The place our Worlds Meet isn’t frequent: you’ve authored every of the works on this exhibition with a fellow artist, calling it a “collaborative solo exhibition.” How did you begin making collaborative works, and when did you resolve you wished tomake an exhibition out of all of those works?
The primary collaboration, with Caratoes, was immensely pleasurable and supplied a deep perception into her world as an artist and artistic. This expertise impressed me to broaden the challenge. It continued to develop organically as folks I admired and buddies approached me, or I reached out to them. Every collaboration offered a profound perception into the minds and worlds of the artists I labored with.
All of the folks I collaborated with had been friends and buddies of mine throughout and plenty of of them are buddies with one another too. I discovered individuals who shared a sentimental abundance and who I feelI nonetheless really admire.
Did any surprises come up from these works?
I used to be amazed by how shortly Lauren YS and Caratoes paint, with a lot confidence and instinct. I actually cherished portray with my dad and mom—it was my first time formally collaborating with them each and I used to be shocked how organically the works got here collectively. As a result of I had labored on these items on and off for 5 years, the factor that shocked me essentially the most is how hooked up I’ve change into to them and the way embedded they’re in my thoughts at this level.
About your individual work, you typically allude to your pursuits in symbolism and pulling references from artwork historical past into a recent framework. How did you navigate staying true to your individual pursuits and the lexicon of symbols you’ve created when making a single paintings with others?
I take into account all these new works as an entire. At sure moments, I took the lead and at others I trusted my collaborators’ imaginative and prescient to drive the course. I simply knew that if the paintings was led by ardour they might all make sense collectively. All of the artists I labored with appeared to attach with me on concepts as soon as we established the emotional chord we had been resonating with for the piece. The remainder appeared to search out its path organically.
Your private fashion is kind of geometric, utilizing easy kinds to create bigger historic narratives. One thing I believe is outstanding about this present is how your fashion—the methods you create kinds—is obvious in every of the works, however utterly remodeled when blended or juxtaposed with the types and strategies of others. Had been there ever questions or anxieties about stylistic clashes?
I labored with Audrey [Kawasaki] on our portray to a sure level after which acquired caught. It took virtually 5 years to lastly decide to a call on learn how to proceed, in order that was positively a second of hysteria. The piece turned like a Mona Lisa: the longer I had it, the higher it appeared and the more durable it was to complete my contribution.
That piece is considered one of my favorites within the present! I used to be questioning in regards to the creative dynamics current whereas creating these works. In an interview you probably did with Artwork Rapture a few years in the past, you talked about the way you cherish the types of creative rivalries that exist amongst artist teams as a result of they push one another to be higher. Was there any of that on this collaboration course of?
That wasn’t particularly a part of the dynamic, however I believe the talent sharing side that got here actually pushed me to be extra experimental in some ways. In that method, I actually appreciated the push.
You’ve additionally been a muralist for a very long time, a format that usually brings in a number of folks to execute an artist’s imaginative and prescient. Did your expertise as a muralist affect this physique of labor?
Murals positively had a big impact on my course of alongside the way in which. I discovered that kinds and concepts from the present that labored for each murals and canvas actually strengthened my perception within the general imaginative and prescient for the present; it gave me confidence as I moved ahead.
There’s a mixture of ceramics and work on this exhibition. You had been making sheep wool rugs final 12 months as properly. What prompted you to begin working in these mediums, and are there different mediums you’d wish to experiment with however haven’t?
I’ve at all times been impressed by a number of mediums and have discovered lots of worth and perception in studying histories of types of artwork which have their foundations in craft. There’s a deep generational passing of the abilities within the craft world. I really like that; I wish to assist honor and proceed these traditions.
Within the case of the tapestries, I’m in love with the timeless high quality they create in a room. I’ve been not too long ago impressed by ceramics as a result of my girlfriend Isolina Minjeon and I’ve begun to make work in that medium. I wish to simply continue to learn just a little bit about every thing as a result of I really feel like when your palms perceive your coronary heart follows.
Do you method “much less” acquainted mediums like ceramic and weaving in a different way from portray?
Making ceramics has been humbling as a result of it takes a distinct form of persistence than I’m used to in my portray work. That studying curve has actually allowed me to be at liberty and play once more. With tapestries, it has been inspiring to develop designs easy sufficient to work out throughout my course of. And from this simplicity, I’ve discovered a brand new course that is expanded into my apply as an entire.
Many of those collaborations occurred in Los Angeles, however you moved there from Cape City, South Africa, if you had been 19. What was your method to attending to know the artwork scene in LA?
Transferring to LA was very daunting as a result of I wasn’t finding out and I didn’t know many individuals. I started going to artwork reveals consistently and actually discovered a gaggle of individuals I linked to by doing that. Over time, I felt a powerful reference to the town and artists who convey it to life.
Transferring to New York was simple as compared. Issues have labored out organically right here, however I don’t suppose that might be the case if I hadn’t constructed my profession and inner compass up in LA first.
Your schedule appears to be fairly intense today, between murals and the stream of duo-shows you’ve had with these collaborations. What’s subsequent for you?
I’ve fairly a number of murals, a trio exhibition subsequent 12 months on the Straat Museum [in Amsterdam] with my dad and mom, and a few initiatives to be introduced with Isolina. Largely, I’ve been making an attempt to work on extra murals and initiatives that heart in New York, as a result of I’ve discovered it one of the best ways to study in regards to the metropolis and really feel really part of it.
The place Our Worlds Meet is on view at Harman Initiatives in Los Angeles by August 3, 2024.