Alexis Peskine's Hammered Nail Portraits Explore Healing and Black Identity in Ouro Verde
At the Filafriques Gallery in Geneva, the exhibition Ouro Verde by Franco-Brazilian artist Alexis Peskine shifts its emphasis from themes of resistance to those of nature, spirituality, and healing. Peskine, recognized for his large-scale artworks crafted with hammered nails, wood, and natural pigments, reflects on his identity as a Black man across Paris, Brazil, and the U.S., intertwined with his Afro-Brazilian spiritual path. His near-fatal experience with cerebral malaria in Cameroon prompted a deeper exploration of healing. Engaging with the Swiss landscape, he interviewed local healers and utilized regional materials for this exhibition, curated by Carine Biley. Previous works tackled violence against Black individuals, while Ouro Verde delves into ancestral wisdom and resilience, referencing an RTS documentary and collaborating with Mamajah's farm.
Key facts
- Alexis Peskine's Ouro Verde series is on view at Filafriques Gallery in Geneva.
- The series marks a shift from resistance to themes of nature, spirituality, and healing.
- Peskine contracted cerebral malaria during a residency in Cameroon, which influenced his artistic direction.
- The works incorporate materials like mauve flowers, mud from the Rhône River, and locally sourced plants.
- Peskine interviewed three traditional Swiss healers for the project.
- His practice references Minkisi power figures from the Congo and the orixá Ogun.
- Earlier exhibitions at October Gallery include Power Figures (2017) and Fire Figures (2020).
- The artist collaborated with Elsa Reduto and Jaky Roland of Mamajah's farm for tinctorial flowers.
Entities
Artists
- Alexis Peskine
Institutions
- Filafriques Gallery
- October Gallery
- Mamajah's farm
- RTS
Locations
- Geneva
- Switzerland
- Paris
- France
- Brazil
- United States
- Cameroon
- Congo
- Rhône River