nu africans
Maurice Evans and Grace Kisa
Nu Africans
Virtual Opening Night Reception: May 15, 2020
Between the real and the imagined, Maurice Evans and Grace Kisa’s Nu Africans has been in the making for more than 10 years. Sharing their experiences as Africans on both sides of the Atlantic was the catalyst for Nu Africans. Maurice was frustrated by how African Americans and continental Africans could not see their similarities, only their differences. His efforts to bridge the gap between associates in each of these groups often fell on deaf ears. He eventually came to the understanding that African Americans and Africans of the diaspora, through their individual circumstances, have evolved into their own tribe of Nu Africans.
In collaboration with 40 women from around the African diaspora, Maurice and Grace have created an exhibition which aspires to center the Black woman in her own power. The exhibit’s mixed media visual works, sculpture, textiles, music and digital media are inspired by the legendary warriors and queens from the African continent. The subjects were not typical models of a certain size or build. Maurice specifically sought women who had given birth, were full figured, a diversity of hues and and who some would describe as ordinary. His visual muse was his southern grandmother, a woman who had lived a life full of ups and downs. The reflection of her living was represented in her body's scars, fullness, stretch marks, etc. Grace styled each subject in elaborate costumes with striking headpieces and crowns. The women were then photographed as both a warrior and a queen. Though the inspiration takes its roots from the continent, these women represent NOW and are projecting into the future. They embody all the experiences which have brought them here.
About The Artists
Maurice Evans’ creative focus was first realized through the lens of music. Born in Smyrna, TN, his father was a military man but also a gifted drummer and singer in a gospel choir. He introduced Maurice to guitar lessons at the age of 4, and these lessons along with his exposure to the music of Al Green, Chaka Khan and Marvin Gaye, inspired his early creative growth. When his family settled in Georgia, Maurice began to explore his artistic talents in high school as an outlet after his parent’s divorce. His mother, a teacher, supported his creative ability by allowing him to help design her classroom bulletin boards each year. By the time Maurice graduated, he had gained recognition as a talented artist, with the confidence to pursue his passion. In 1986, he was accepted to the Art Institute of Atlanta where he studied Fashion Illustration to advance his painting and drawing skills.
After college, Maurice worked at design firms, but didn’t achieve the artistic freedom he yearned for as an independent artist. In 1994, with the support of his family and friends, he had his first successful exhibition at the juried Black Arts Festival in Atlanta. And at the New York Art Expo, he was introduced to clients and collectors. Since then his work has been featured in numerous galleries and he has received national and international acclaim.
Today, Maurice’s artistic creativity is expressed through a diverse mixture of art and photography, articulating expressions of music, culture, gender, and politics – all of which reflect his limitless potential. He lives by the premise, “Create art for art’s sake,” inspiring viewers and artists alike to pursue their artistic and creative passions.
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Grace Kisa spent her formative years in Kenya, Ethiopia, Botswana, Canada, then McLean, VA before settling in Atlanta, GA. She came to Atlanta to study at The Art Institute of Atlanta, after which she began her pursuit of a career in art.
Working in many different mediums, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, costume and jewelry design, and photography, Grace’s artwork explores the connections between personal, cultural, national, and global perspectives. Her artistic process is a combination of creative play and problem solving, and her work explores ideas including: identity and how it relates to notions of comfort and alienation; migration and how one acculturates to a new environment; and the concept of home set against the context of time and space. Her work has been featured in exhibitions throughout the U.S.
Exhibition Credits
Nu Africans is supported in part by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, Fulton County Arts & Culture, the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Christopher Swain and Hammonds House Members and Donors. Hammonds House Museum is a Partner of the National Performance Network (NPN). This project is made possible in part by support from the NPN Artist Engagement Fund. Major contributors include the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.