Ludovic Nkoth: What If

Nkoth's affectionate and dynamic portraits of Black subjects reclaim the legacy of the African diaspora in a French exhibition hall

"It's important to acknowledge the conversation you're participating in...and also remembering that this conversation wasn't always open to everyone," says painter Ludovic Nkoth (born 1994) of his artistic practice. "Paint isn't neutral." Based in New York but born in Cameroon, Nkoth creates fluid and intimate portraits of Black subjects are all inspired by the country of his birth. His scenes capture the private lives of his subjects, in moments of thought, rest and recreation, inviting the viewer to imagine alternative narratives surrounding images of the Black experience. These paintings carried a special significance when they were exhibited within the Fondation Le Corbusier - Maison La Roche, a gallery intended for a collection of 20th-century abstract art, whose most famous figures borrowed the language of African art but assigned little merit to its creators.