Kwaga Sillingi
Kwaga is a painter who combines paper collages and acrylic to create bold large-scale paintings. Through her practice, Kwaga repeatedly explores densely layered colour combinations and formations of circular shapes. Working across four paintings at a time, Kwaga has developed her own systematic painting process; initially collaging pre-painted circles into ordered patterns as a base layer before applying varying layers of paint. Each layer has its own unique approach. Over time the patterns laid down have shifted from tight order into looser, diagonal formations with layers of thick painterly loops. The work gradually evolves as Kwaga confidently applies thick brush marks, revelling in the rich colours and paint texture. As each layer is added the underlayer of collaged circles disappears, leaving an echo of dense, looped circles.
Exhibitions
- Vital Mix, Wandsworth Arts Fringe, Southside Shopping Centre, 2024
- Open House, Studio Voltaire, London, 2023
- Open House, Studio Voltaire, 2022
- Open House, Studio Voltaire, 2021
- x3 Ritual Patterns, online exhibition, 2021
- ArtWorks Together, 2021
- Where The Heart Is, Cockpit Arts Summer Open Studios, 2019
Biography
Kwaga has been a resident artist at ActionSpace’s Studio Voltaire studio since 2018. In a short time, Kwaga established herself as an artist driven to paint and has developed a vast body of vibrant large-scale paintings with her own distinctive style. She has exhibited at both Studio Voltaire’s Open House and Cockpit’s Open Studios. In 2021 Kwaga featured in the online exhibition Ritual Patterns in collaboration with Venture Arts and Project Ability.