The Con Man Painting

Charmaine Chanakira is a London based painter. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in London, the state of being on the move has stimulated the artist’s concern with navigating her own status. The artist’s identification as a BLACK/ ZIMBABWEAN/ MIGRANT/ WOMAN living in the UK is central to her practice; as the artist claims: ‘I’m not just one thing, I am all and none.’ The Black experience collection addresses the social and political injustices that she has personally experienced, Chanakira’s work engages with the notions of decolonisation and social justice, challenging the world in which she lives... Change comes to be the subject matter and the organising principle of her painting. Bright colours jump from the surface of the canvas, submerging the drawing and doodles that can be seen faintly below the paint. With iconography reminiscent of the 1980’s New York Neo-expressionist movement, the works on paper are filled with signs and messages. At the juncture of art and activism, one imagines them like posters hastily glued to walls, bus stops and other parts of a city to be seen by all who pass, sometimes in protest, or sometimes as a celebration. From these works emerge a portrait of the artist. Chanakira explains: ‘What always made me feel better was painting or drawing, creating artworks that detached me from the material world. But I found that painting carried me away to a place where I was calm, safe and unjudged. I wasn’t bound to create something perfect, I didn’t have to colour within the lines. I travelled to a place where I was face to face with my feelings and confronted them with every brush stroke. Eventually, I managed to pick myself up and return to a healthy thought cycle. From my experience using art in a therapeutic manner, I felt compelled to explore this professionally.’ ‘ The black experience’ ties with the artist’s passion for people which has grown over the years, thus encouraging her to develop a career in the mental health sector. Considering art’s social function, this collection is a step towards staging first-hand the benefits of using art to self-heal and to encourage emotional intelligence through the making of art itself.