Imraan Christian:

Demystifying the sense of self

Imraan Christian is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Cape Town. Following a feature in The Manor’s latest special edition photography issue, ‘Reflecting B(l)ack,’ we caught up with Christian after the success of his first solo exhibition, ‘!Noma’ (rooted), at Everard Read Gallery. Christian has pride paired with pragmatism about the show – a labour of love spanning almost a decade. Christian remarks that he’s “really dug into my practice as a painter over the last three or four years”.

Christian’s career has been cultivated through a variety of mediums, yet it is the subject matter that anchors his work – the medium simply serves as a comprehensible access point that creates dimensionality. The work reaffirmed a cultivation of his craft, exuding the confidence of a seasoned artist, with the selection of work piercing the scale of the complex history Christian tackles. “My hope is that this work speaks to the timelessness of indigenous mythology.” This process enables Christian to reference and investigate Africa’s history in pre-colonial times with a focus on the indigenous community.

Even without context, Christian’s work possesses a resounding hope without caution or scepticism. “Often when speaking about the effect colonialism had on history and the indigenous community, we speak about wounds and loss. My intention is to shift that perspective to explore the foundation of the ideologies and mythologies that I’ve learnt about through indigenous teachers, and that which was born in me”.

Despite tackling dynamic topics like lineage, ancient migratory identities and indigenous mythology, Christian is able to separate his sense of self from his purpose within the work he does. The phrase he holds close to his heart – ‘as within, so without’. The whole process is about demystifying the self to tap into a concise intent, beyond an individual.

A lot of work I am delving into has been consciously erased from mainstream history. My practice involves keeping my channel as clear as I can so I can tap into my roots and genetic memory.”

While you would think many artists have goals of exhibiting in a vast gallery, or gaining infinite notoriety, Christian is much more focused on creating honestly. “Honest to myself, my ancestors, and my vision.” Christian’s work consistently raises questions surrounding the roots of humanity in a shared lineage finding a home. It is unsurprising that when it comes to his personal idea of home Christian does not associate it with any physical or tangible space. “Home is resting in the heart. Living through the space that is connected to our creator.” You need only glance at his work to feel this embodiment of sincerity, candour and truth, perhaps most potent in a photograph of a young boy adorned in chains and pink bunny ears, an evocation of innocence and grit.

It makes perfect sense that his goals are not limited to a specific craft or body of work. “Filmmaking is my obsession; it is my blessing and my curse. I love it, for it. Photography is a natural process to me, it feels like breathing. Painting is my healing and meditation.” Christian is currently working on an art film, he has two or three exhibitions in the works as well as focusing on learning from masters of the craft by taking part in various residencies. What is certain is that Christian is inexhaustibly taking up space, his extrospection unlimited by method or practice, he engages with the global community in a form that transcends time, space and culture.

Images and paintings courtesy of Imraan Christian