Nirit Takele (b. 1985)
Stretching Leg

Signed and dated 2020 on the reverse
Acrylic on canvas
19 ¾ x 19 ¾ inches
Unframed

Exhibited: C24 Gallery, NY, You Belong Here, May 22 – July 6, 2020.

Following centuries of underrepresentation, Black voices are now being heard throughout the contemporary art space. Artists of color in Israel are similarly receiving critical attention and study. Nirit Takele is among the foremost Ethiopian-Israeli artists today and she is receiving national and international attention. She has developed a unique style of building or ‘sculpting’ her abstracted, shaded figures which all but fill the entire canvas. Their outlines are frequently set off by the colorful, ribbon-like borders of their Ethiopian shawls and wraps. These are not specific portraits, but rather she takes her inspiration from the remembered activity of a family member or friend, a chance encounter, or a simple pose remembered from the everyday life of the people around her.

Speaking of her unique portrayal of the figure, Takele has said: “I want to show these characters as being full of power, and size expresses their inner, heroic strength. This is how I see my community, and this is the representation I wanted to convey in my art.” (quoted in Charles Moore, Israel’s Transformative Black Artists, New York, Petite Ivy Press, 2020, p. 23)

Takele was born in Ethiopia in 1985 and immigrated to Israel in 1991 in “Operation Solomon”. She holds a B.F.A from Shenkar College. Her works are included in prestigious public and private collections including the Israel Museum, Start, and Shenkar College. She won Sotheby’s Under the Hammer prize in the Fresh Paint fair in 2017.

Important Notice: This work is located in New York, NY. Items in this sale are located in different locations. Please request a shipping quote at your earliest convenience and at least 48 hours in advance of the auction.

Condition: Excellent condition, unframed