Maldivian artist Afu Shaafiu is currently exhibiting at UK-based ‘Of Echoes and Fragments’, a group art exhibition being held at the Pound Arts Centre, Corsham. The exhibition is ongoing from 17th May to 12th June 2021.
‘Of Echoes and Fragments’, curated by Katie Ackrill, brings together the works of four recent graduates of Bath Spa’s MA Fine Art programme: Mark Burch, Daniela Corrêa Fortes, Marco Piccari and Afu Shaafiu. The paintings on display explore the themes of passing time, the fragmented nature of memory, and the meanings we consciously or unconsciously inscribe onto spaces, places and objects.
While Mark Burch’s abstractions present unoccupied interiors that are at once familiar and illusionistic, Daniela’s paintings also occupy a space between reality and illusion, invoking involuntary associations of memory. Marco Piccari on the other hand, contemplates the indeterminable quality of time and space through objects that are banal, ephemeral and non-functional.
Afu’s works, which he refers to as ‘memory paintings’, are based on conversations between his past and present self, and the spontaneous memories that arise during moments of reflection. Though he leaves it open for interpretation, each element of his work carries symbolic meanings that he relates to himself and his identity. “Attached to each colour, each stroke and each movement, is a past memory of mine,” says Afu. “From a spiritual perspective, who I am at present is the product of the choices I have made and the challenges I have had to overcome.”
According to Afu, the broader inquiry of the process is to investigate the role of one’s memories in his or her mental wellbeing in the present. He likens it to the act of meditation, an introspective exercise by which he learns more about himself. “Through the chaos and control inherent in the process, I am looking back and inquiring deep within. In what ways does my past inform my present? What can I do to make myself a better person, to make better decisions? To overcome my fears?”
The mediums he has used, acrylics and oils, are another extension of these symbolisms. “Acrylics and oils famously do not mix, and yet they sit well together depending on how you apply them,” he says. “If you don’t give acrylic enough time to heal before the oils are used, conflict arises. It’s all about finding that balance, that sense of harmony and inner peace.”
Born in Male’ in 1975, Afu Shaafiu has been professionally involved in the arts since he was 18, starting out as a postage stamp designer at Maldives Post Limited. Throughout his career, Afu has been actively producing art, exhibiting his works both locally and internationally. He received the National Award of Recognition for Visual Arts in 2014, and many of his works are in the permanent collection of the National Art Gallery of Maldives. Afu is currently living in Bath, UK.