Marcia Kure

Marcia Kure (born 1970, Kano State, Nigeria)^[1] is a U.S.-based Nigerian artist known primarily for her mixed media paintings and drawings. She trained at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka under Obiora Udechukwu--a leading figure of the "Nsukka School"--and graduated with a B.A. in painting in 1994.^[1][2] She has had several one-person exhibitions in Nigeria, Germany, and the United States. She participated in the 7th Sharjah Biennial (2005), the 2nd Seville International Biennial of Contemporary Art (2006) directed by Okwui Enwezor, and the La Triennale, Paris organised by Enwezor.

Her early work focused on political violence and the agency of women in patriarchal society.^[3] More recently her work has been concerned with themes related to motherhood, haute couture fashion, hip-hop aesthetics, and popular tales. She was awarded the Uche Okeke Prize for Drawing (1994). She is represented by Susan Inglett Gallery, New York and Purdy Hicks Gallery, London.

From January 2014 through March 2014, Kure was artist-in-residence at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.^[4]

Exhibitions

One person exhibitions

• 2014: "Conformity", Purdy Hicks Gallery, London, UK
• 2011: "Dressed Up", Susan Inglett Gallery, New York City
• 2011: "Fashionable Hybrids", Bravin Lee Programs, New York City
• 2007: "Vogue Series", Bravin Lee Programs, New York City.
• 2006: "Wonderland Series II", Lisa Dent Gallery, San Francisco, USA.
• 2004: "WONDERLAND", Lisa Dent Gallery, San Francisco, USA.
• 2003: Gallery Art Korner, The Hague, The Netherlands.
• 2000: "Cloth as Identity", Goethe-Institut, Lagos, Nigeria.
• 1998: "Die Frau. Der Fisch. Der Hase: Aquarelle und Gemälde”. AK Kaya der VHS/Ausstellungsraum Weihersbach/Herzogenaurach/Iwalewa Haus,Bayreuth, Germany.
• 1997: “SONGS FOR MOTHER and other works”, The Teaching Gallery, University of South Florida,Tampa, USA.
• 1996: “MARCIA KURE- Recent Works”, Alliance Française, Kaduna, Nigeria.
• 1996: “BLICK ZURÜCK – NACH VORN”, Art Arc Galerie, Bayreuth, Germany.
• 1994: “MARCIAKURE: Paintings and Drawings”. Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

Joint exhibitions

• 2011: “Romare Bearden/Marcia Kure”, Essie Green Galleries, New York City.
• 2005: “Homeland.Wonderland: Drawings by Chika Okeke-Agulu and Marcia Kure”, The Richard F. Brush Art Gallery, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA.
• 2004: “Female Artists from the African Diaspora”(with Otobong Nkanga and Senam Okudzeto), Galerie Peter Herrmann, Berlin, Germany.
• 2001: “Recent Paintings” (with Chika Okeke), The Living Room Gallery, Atlanta, USA.
• 1999: “Seeds and Proverbs” (with Chika Okeke), Kubatana Gallery, Atlanta, USA.
• 1995: “Fragments and Songs” (with Chika Okeke), Goethe-Institut, Lagos, Nigeria.

Group exhibitions

• 2012: “Flying”, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin.
• 2012: “Intense Proximity”, La Triennale, Palais de Tokyo, Paris
• 2011: “Radical Drawing”, Purdy Hicks, London
• 2011: “9th Biennial Exhibition”, A.I.R. Gallery, New York
• 2010: “Esopus 14: Projects”, Esopus, New York. 2009
• 2010: “Undercover: Performing and Transforming Black Female Identities”, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta,USA
• 2006: “2nd International Biennial of Contemporary Art”, Seville, Spain
• 2006: “DRAW•ING (dro’ing) n.”, BravinLee Programs, New York
• 2006: “Africome – Focus Afrika” In co-operation with Bundeszentrale fur politische Bildung, Neue Galerie, Landshut, Germany
• 2005: “7th Sharjah International Biennale”, Sharjah, U.A.E.
• 2005: “Heal the World”, Ibis Hotel, Dubai, U.A.E.
• 2005: “Textile Catalysts: SHIBORI Shaping the 21st Century”, Tama At University Museum, Tokyo, Japan
• 2005: “Propeller, Exhibition of 7 promising artists of African descent”, Steve Turner Gallery, Beverly Hills, USA
• 2005: “Aqua Art Miami”, Aqua Hotel, Miami Beach
• 2005: “Gallery Art Korner”, The Hague, The Netherlands
• 2005: “The Future is on the Table”, A project organised by Gwyléne Gallimard and Jean Marie Mauclet of Fast and French, Charleston, SC, USA
• 2004: “My Journey Yours”, Youth Art Connection, Atlanta, USA
• 2004: “FILES PROJECT”, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León (MUSAC), Madrid, Spain
• 2004: “The Beaded Prayer Project”, Montreal Arts Interculturels (MAI), Montreal, Canada
• 2004: "fl ex_re-fl ex.impact", Galerie Peter Herrmann, Berlin, Germany
• 2003: "The Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo Kuti”, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York; Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco; Barbican Art Galleries, London; Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, USA
• 2002: “Art for Aid”, Fulton County Government Atrium, Atlanta, USA
• 2002: “Painted Doors”, 14th Annual Decatur Arts Festival, The Gazebo, Decatur City Center, Atlanta, USA
• 2001: “Colors of Africa: Contemporary Perspectives”, The Art Gallery, University of New England, Portland, ME, USA
• 2000: “Women to Women: Weaving Cultures, Shaping History”, Indiana State University Art Gallery,Terre Haute, IN. (traveling) (with Sokari Douglas Camp, Ndidi Dike, and Iyabo Abiola)
• 2000: "Snapshot," The Contemporary Museum, Baltimore, USA
• 1999: “Synthesis”, British Council Hall, Kaduna, Nigeria
• 1997: “Five Artists Exhibit Contemporary Nigerian Art”, Abraka Turf Club, Abraka, Nigeria
• 1997: “Kulte, Künstler, Könige in Afrika”, Schlossmuseum, Linz, Austria
• 1997: “New Currents: Avante garde Nigerian Art”, Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria
• 1997: “Young Masters”, Signature Art Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria
• 1997: “CROSS / ING: Time. Space. Movement”. USF Contemporary Art Museum/ Museum of African American Art, Tampa; Track 16 Art Gallery,Santa Monica, USA; The Schmidt Center Gallery/Ritter Art Gallery, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton; City Gallery East, Atlanta, USA
• 1996: “Galerie Lindern”, Lindern, Germany. OSHOGBO-NSUKKA, Rathaus der Stadt Gersthofen, Gersthofen, Germany
• 1996: “Bestart ‘96”, National Gallery of Art, Lagos, Nigeria
• 1995: “IMPACT”, Aba Town Hall, Aba, Nigeria
• 1995: “ULI ART: Master Works, Recent Works”, Skoto Gallery, New York City
• 1995: “Contemporary Nigerian Art”, WIPO Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland
• 1995: “A WOMAN’S VIEW: Equality, Development and Peace”, The World Bank, Washington, DC, USA
• 1994: “Bestart ‘94”, Goethe-Institut, Lagos
• 1992: “Works from the Workshop at Nsukka (Prints) and Auchi (Paintings)”, Goethe-Institut, Lagos, Nigeria
• 1991: “Grafi k aus Nigeria”, Atrium Galerie, Berlin, Germany
• 1990: “Prints from Nsukka”, Goethe-Institut, Lagos, Nigeria

Bibliography

• Moisdon, Stephanie, “La Triennale de Paris AU DETOUR DES MONDES”, Beaux Arts Magazine, April 2012
• Coxhead, Gabriel, “Radical Drawing”, TIME OUT London, 22 December 2011. http://www.timeout.com/london/art/event/248546/radical-drawing
• Aletti, Vince, “Marcia Kure”. THE NEW YORKER, 11 April 2011, p. 9
• Heinrich, Will, “Captives of the Unselective Eye”. THE NEW YORK OBSERVER, 4 April 2011, p. 53
• Brierly, Susan, “The Art of the Party”, PARK PLACE MAGAZINE, March/April 2010, 31–35
• Enwezor, Okwui, “Best of 2007.” ARTFORUM, December 2007
• Nnabuife, Chuka, “Marcia Kure. Portrait of a Visual Poet.” The Guardian Life (Lagos), 23–29 July 2006
• Conti, Anna L., “Marcia Kure & the artist in the world”, Working Artist’s Journal, Monday 11 September 2006
• Howland, Tom, “Brush Art Gallery Welcomes New, Intriguing Exhibition”, The Hill News, St. Lawrence University, (Canton, New York), 21 October 2005
• “Political Charge Energizes Group”, Los Angeles Times, 29 April 2005
• L. Conti, Anna, Working Artist’s Journal, “Lisa Dent Gallery”, 8 February 2005
• Bing, Alison, “Marcia Kure: “Wonderland”, SFGate.com, E-Picks, 22–29 December 2004
• Adams, Sarah, “Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti”. African Arts, (Los Angeles), Spring, 2004, pp. 83–85
• Eleey, Peter, “Black President, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York”, Frieze, Issue 78

Further reading

• Okwui Enwezor and Chika Okeke-Agulu, Contemporary African Art Since 1980 (Bologna: Damiani Editore, 2009), pp. 306–307

References