Artist: Marvin Luvualu António
Exhibition title: Here on Purpose
Venue: Lyles & King, New York, US
Date: June 8 – July 28, 2017
Photography: images copyright and courtesy of the artist and Lyles & King
There is so much to say
And so much has happened
And this room is so fucking small.
My precious ball python
Was killed but somehow
Lives on as I can admit that lately
I see snakes everywhere.
There is so much pain
In my body.
Now it manifests in seizures.
I am epileptic.
Real talk.
It’s a challenge
To remember because I still
Can’t believe it.
If I forget I may die.
But, I’m here on purpose.
Anger feels tight
And sadness vast.
Here,
On purpose.
Marvin Luvualu António (b. 1986) lives in Toronto, Canada. He recently exhibited in That I am reading backwards and into for a purpose, to go on at The Kitchen, New York, US. He is the 2017 Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts Prize recipient and the 2015 recipient of the AMIA/AGO Photography Prize Scholarship. António has recently exhibited at Stevenson Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa; Clint Roenisch Gallery, Toronto, Canada; and Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, CA.
Marvin Luvualu António, Scorpio Moon, 2017, Mixed media on canvas, 84 x 70 inches
Marvin Luvualu António, Antibody, 2017, Mixed media on canvas, 84 x 70 inches
Marvin Luvualu António, Here on Purpose, 2017, exhibtion view, Lyles & King, New York
Marvin Luvualu António, Here on Purpose, 2017, exhibtion view, Lyles & King, New York
Marvin Luvualu António, Here on Purpose, 2017, exhibtion view, Lyles & King, New York
Marvin Luvualu António, Here on Purpose, 2017, exhibtion view, Lyles & King, New York
Marvin Luvualu António, Brown on brown, Keep walking, 2017, Acrylic on canvas, 71 x 66 inches
Marvin Luvualu António, Anti-body, 2017, Clay, acrylic, 23 x 10 x 1.5 inches
Marvin Luvualu António, Untitled, 2017, Mixed media on canvas, 45 x 33 inches