Pierre Mukeba · GAG Projects
Young Adelaide-based artist Pierre Mukeba is one to watch. Pierre immigrated to Australia in 2006 with his family, from the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, after living in a refugee camp in Zambia and with family in Zimbabwe. It was living with his uncle that inspired Pierre to take up drawing, while his grandfather was a famous artist in Congo.
In a restricted colour palette, the self-taught 23-year-old depicts his family members candidly, often swathed in strikingly patterned garments, and other everyday scenes of life in Central Africa.
Pierre’s emotive works on display at Melbourne Art Fair offer subtle yet crucial, thought-provoking glimpses into the trauma experienced by asylum seekers and other displaced persons.