“I want viewers to consider the threads that tie them to their own histories, cultures, and identities, while also recognizing how our experiences are linked across communities and generations.”
Thread, with its versatile applications across every corner of the world, belts a symbiotic relationship with the elements it intertwines with. Be it as fabric, an attachment, or a suspender, it enshrines the significance of interconnection. Nigerian mixed-media artist Donna Duke's latest exhibition, "Red Thread," captures this essence of connection through her evocative portraiture and rich storytelling.
In an age where individual narratives often feel isolated, Duke’s work invites us to engage with the invisible ties that bind us—threads of fate that weave together our personal histories, cultural narratives, and the shared experiences that define our humanity. Drawing from her heritage and different phases of life experiences across Nigeria and England, Duke’s artistic practice serves as a canvas for examining the complexities of identity, resilience, and transformation.
In our conversation with Duke, we gain insights into the inspiration behind "Red Thread," its innovative blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, and the exhibition's profound reflection on the multifaceted nature of the Black experience.
Art Report Africa: Can you share the inspiration behind the concept of "Red Thread" and what this exhibition peculiarly means to you?
Donna Duke: “Red Thread” was inspired by the idea of interconnectedness across time, space, and experience. In many cultures, the red thread symbolizes fate, lineage, and unseen bonds that connect us. For me, this exhibition speaks to the invisible yet palpable connections between our personal histories, cultural narratives, and collective memory. It's a visual exploration of how our past informs our present and how our experiences, especially as Black people, are interwoven within these universal stories of identity, resilience, and transformation.
ARA: Your work often blends traditional materials with modern techniques. How does this fusion reflect the themes explored in "Red Thread"?
Donna Duke: The fusion of traditional materials with modern techniques mirrors the conversation between heritage and innovation. In Red Thread I use materials that are rich in cultural significance, fabrics, textures, symbols, gold, combined with contemporary media like digital collage and mixed media portraiture. I think my aim and goal was to reflect the duality of holding on to the past while navigating the present and echoing the themes of lineage identity and the
fluidity of time.
ARA: Walk us through the mediums of work viewers can expect to see during the exhibition.
Donna Duke: Viewers can expect to encounter a diverse range of media, from large-scale mixed-media portraits to textile-based installations. I've explored sculpture in non-traditional ways as well as photography, with some pieces incorporating digital manipulation, layering, and film. The goal is to create a multi-sensory experience where textures and forms evoke both personal and collective narratives. Thus, I hope to invite the audience to engage with the work on multiple levels.
ARA: Your work dilates into the Black experience. How do you believe these themes resonate within the context of the "Red Thread" exhibition?
Donna Duke: So, the black experience is central to Red Thread as an exhibition, but I aim to depict black stories in their entirety. You have stories of longing, loss, love, hope, and the everyday mundane moments that shape our lives. While the black experience often carries narratives of trauma and shared experience and memory, this exhibition is not focused solely on that.
At the heart of it, I paint what I see and I paint who I see. I found that I saw the beauty in capturing life through the lens of a person who just happens to be black. This exhibition reflects on the complexity of our lived experiences. It's not just us as survivors but as individuals with full, multifaceted lives. Through these pieces, I hope to celebrate the richness of our ordinary moments, to remind viewers that blackness encompasses so much more than struggle. It's about joy, connection, and the quiet beauty of simply being.
ARA: What emotions or thoughts do you hope viewers will take away from their experience of your exhibition?
Donna Duke: I hope viewers leave with a sense of reflection and connection to the work.
The work is intended to evoke both personal introspection and a broader awareness of the human condition.
I want viewers to consider the threads that tie them to their own histories, cultures, and identities, while also recognizing how our experiences are linked across communities and generations.
I hope that the exhibition overall stirs a sense of curiosity and empathy and ultimately a desire to understand the depth and richness of our own experiences day to day.
ARA: Given your background in both Nigeria and England, how do those cultural influences shape the narratives in your work?
Donna Duke: Having grown up in Nigeria and England, it has given me a background that is quite a contrast, and the synergies have deeply informed my work. I think growing up between these two worlds has given me a unique perspective on identity, belonging, and cultural hybridity. In terms of my Nigerian culture, it naturally has deep-rooted traditions, and art forms, and the culture as a whole has influenced me to use certain materials such as textures, fabrics, symbolism, and colour that are all informed through my Nigerian heritage. While I believe that my experiences in England have exposed me to a different lens of modernity, allowing me to incorporate elements of contemporary art, digital media, and social critique into my practice. I think this cultural duality shapes the narratives that I explore a lot of the time, making my work a bridge between past and present, local and global.
ARA: As you continue to push the boundaries of mixed-media portraiture, what future projects or themes are you excited to explore?
Donna Duke: I think I'm excited to delve deeper into themes of migration, diaspora, and the concept of home.
Especially in a world where these ideas are continually shifting and ever-changing, I wanted to explore how personal and collective identities evolve through displacement and the search for belonging.
Recently, personally, for me, I have found a greater need and want to understand the people that came before me, what motivated their actions, why did they end up where they did, and understand how that could affect the psyche of those abroad and those at home.
Also, I really would like to expand my work to include more immersive installations, incorporating sound and movement, and the senses to create environments where viewers can engage with the work on a physical and emotional level, rather than just being bystanders. We are mutual collaborators, just as we are in life.
I think there's just a growing interest in collaborating across disciplines, so I blend my visual art with performance and digital storytelling to further push the boundaries of narrative expression.
Exhibition Date: Sept 22nd - Oct 20, 2024
Location: TR Art Gallery, Lagos
About Donna Duke
Donna Duke is a Nigerian mixed-media artist known for her evocative portraiture that blends traditional materials with modern techniques. Utilizing acrylic, oil, metal, 24k gold leaf, and resin, Duke creates intricate works that delve into themes of identity, culture, and the Black experience. Her practice often incorporates West African fabrics, crafting unique collages that reflect both cultural heritage and personal narrative.
Born in 1998 in Houston, Texas, and raised between Lagos, Nigeria, and England, Duke studied at the University of Nottingham before earning her MA in Art and Cultural Enterprise from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, in 2024. Her work draws from historical and contemporary accounts of the Black experience, creating powerful portrayals of emotional depth within Black portraiture. Her figures, captured in moments of idealized emotion, offer a multilayered commentary on human existence and the Black experience.
In 2022, Duke exhibited her work internationally, showing at Harrods and Saatchi Gallery in London. Her work has also been exhibited at Lagos-based galleries, including Gallery Affinity and Kokopelli Gallery. Duke currently lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria, where she continues to push the boundaries of mixed-media portraiture while contributing to the global conversation on contemporary African art.
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