Ekene Emeka Maduka

Ka Chifoo Is Also A Way to Come Back depicts a scene where Ekene Emeka-Maduka goes back in time and encounters her younger self. In this piece, the subject and clothing are identical and represent the artist, but each version of her adopts a different expression. Emeka-Maduka’s painting recreates the effect of two mirrors placed opposite each other. Her painting is inspired by an encounter that marked the artist as a child. She recalls visiting the hair salon of a small Ghanaian man called ‘’Papa’’ in Kano state, Nigeria, and coming across a mirror which reproduced what she saw as an ‘’infinite configuration’’. As the tiniest reflection in Ka Chifoo is also a way to come back leads to its infinity, the artist walks several steps backwards to meet the child that was first intrigued by the mirrors at Papa's salon. With fresh eyes, as though a dream, Emeka-Maduka goes back to her childhood and faces past memories. ‘’What does this act of looking back bring and what can be realized if one faces themselves and their community? How does one understand the many openings that give birth to the reflection at the forefront of their infinity mirror? Dreams are perhaps an avenue to unpack these questions and meet several versions, some known and others forgotten.” – Ekene Emeka-Maduka