Interwoven energy and movement in the work of Sidney Mang’ong’o

Interwoven energy and movement in the work of Sidney Mang’ong’o

Ng'onga Silupya

'The two aspects of abstract painting, the exclusion of natural forms and the unhistorical universalising of the qualities of art, have a crucial importance for the general theory of art. Just as the discovery of non-Euclidean geometry gave a powerful impetus to the view that mathematics was independent of experience, so abstract painting cut at the roots of the classic ideas of artistic imitation.' – Meyer Schapiro.

Abstraction in its essence is an art form that is habitually understood in diverse ways by many people. Those who have a passion for it take time to appreciate its form. In Africa, abstract painting has gained immense recognition in recent years due to its unique aesthetic beauty and symbolic meaning. Characterised by their bold colours, intricate patterns and complex shapes, Sidney Mang’ong’o’s abstract paintings are visually striking, conveying a range of emotions and ideas.

The layering of colours in Mang’ong’o’s abstract paintings allows the viewer to immerse themselves in the artwork, enabling them to see beyond the stripes and patterns to imagine endless possibilities of everyday life. He uses dual colours in the background, with the bright colours in the foreground allowing some kind of reflection when taking a close look at the painting. The whole experience of viewing these magnificent pieces of art feels like taking a stroll on an unknown journey. The crossing of geometrical lines shows how Mang’ong’o finds himself interwoven with his immediate environment. Mang’ong’o’s work requires the viewer to be attentive and take time to look slowly, and carefully, grasping every form and lucid composition.

Born in Kenya in 1983, Mang’ong’o tragically passed in 2020 at the age of 37 after taking his life at his home in Matasia, Nairobi, Kenya.

'He was an exceptionally talented painter and had developed a following of collectors. He was always on his own path, uninfluenced by artistic trends,' said Circle Art Gallery's then-Director Danda Jaroljmek. His passing made headlines in Nairobi’s news media, attracting a number of reports about his life and overall work as an artist.

Mang’ong’o was an Ultra-Contemporary artist based in Nairobi, always driven by experimentation. Working primarily in the mediums of painting and collage and frequently combining the two, his practice was heavily influenced by concepts of social-political terminologies and physical degradation. His career took off at the age of 25 in the early 2000s at the time the Kenyan government was going through political turmoil. It is imperative to highlight that as Mang’ong’o emerged in his practice, he was attached to the Circle Art Gallery, the space that promoted his career by constantly exhibiting his work. He participated in numerous group exhibitions in Nairobi, including Ziba Ufa at the Kuona Trust (2011); X-tract, Subtract, Abstract at Circle Art Gallery (2013); Paper II at Circle (2015); and Freedom Flight Refuge at Circle (2016). In 2018, he had his only solo exhibition Imagined Structures at Circle which was very successful and introduced his work to a wide audience.

During his career, Mang’ong’o developed his early works through observation when he spent his time with other artists at Kuona Trust in 2011 after he moved into his studio and stayed there for three years improving his skills. His participation in the 2012 Wasanii Workshop along artists such as Ephrem Solomon, Wanja Kimani, and Dennis Muraguri equally contributed to his artistic advancement. Having encountered artist Kota Otieno through the Kibera-based Maasai Mbilli Collective, Mang’ong’o briefly shared a studio with Otieno in Ngong', who later became his mentor and had great influence on his artistic progression. His early works were figurative paintings and then he shifted to abstracts towards his demise that captured the internal planes and voids of the new concrete towers that were being built in his environment, Nairobi. 

In 2018, when Nairobi was mushrooming with new buildings on every corner, Mang’ong’o capitalised on these occurrences and turned to abstraction to unlock the secrets of their hidden spaces, presenting the geometry of their angles and perspectives in clusters of interlocking colour fields. 

'You cannot turn a corner in Nairobi without seeing a new building reaching for the sky. Whether an office block or high-rise apartment, a boom is under way' observed Frank Whalley. In this context, Mang’ong’o’s work relied on the laborious layering of found imagery on paper and board, using textures, colours and political jargon to explore notions of socio-political degradation. 

His most recent work, a series of paintings titled ‘Untitled (Triptych)’ 2016 relies on fields of colour, geometric shapes, and textures to explore forms as they appear in architecture and manmade forms. Mang’ong’o’s use of shapes and lines depicts reality and allows the viewer to condense themselves in the emotions, form, texture and motion of the artwork. The works are generalised, combinations of multiple views, extensions and reductions of space and perspective. They record the intersections of walls, floors and ceilings pertinent to the real estate field. The shapes are complex and interwoven, creating a sense of energy and movement within the painting. The fact that most if not all of his recent works are untitled is quite rhetorical and gives the viewer a comprehensive outlook of his practice. This enables one to have a broader approach and freedom to explore and indulge in his works. 

In his art practice, Mang’ong’o was drawn so much towards his immediate environment, immersing himself in the subjects that surrounded the infrastructure around him. With the globalisation of the art scene, there's an increasing acknowledgement and value placed on various forms of artistic expression, encompassing abstract art created by artists from Africa and those living in diaspora. Modern artists are pushing against clichés and delving into numerous artistic styles to convey their distinct viewpoints and life stories. Mang’ong’o remains an iconic figure in African Contemporary art and his legacy lives on, leaving a mark on the historical narrative of abstract art and how it continues to evolve.

Cover artwork: Sidney Mang’ong’o, Untitled X, 2018. Mixed Media on packaging paper, 58 × 105.5 cm

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