"To me, “Carry you home” (2019) is my most important work. Not just because of the way it was used in “Ted Lasso” but because of what it means to me. That point in that painting was the end sad and beginning of better times for me." - Kelechi Nwaneri, The Guardian Nigeria News, January 16, 2022.
Sometimes life takes us to places where we can do nothing but pick ourselves up and move to greener pastures. “Carry You Home” portrays the journey of a man that has carried his broken self through and out of a painful experience, and has finally arrived at a place of a new beginning. The dead bird tied to his conscious self signifies the end of a sad and blue era and the start of something new. The choice of pose for my subjects in this piece was influenced by one of Raphael Sanzio’s incomplete drawings titled “Man carrying Older Man in his back” circa 1513-14.
"My work is born out of the desire to represent the quiet interaction between our conscious and subconscious state of mind in relation to our environment. I believe that everything in our lives dances to the vibrations of the subconscious. A major feature of this pencil and charcoal series is the ‘Black Figure’, which is usually clad with symbols and motifs. These figures are inspired by the idea of scars and tribal marks which represent our subconscious state. I use primarily West African iconography, mainly Adinkra, Uli, & Nsibidi symbols, as well as the lines and patterns found in Adire fabric, to create forms and figures which I draw alongside realistic subjects and serene settings, creating a surreal landscape. I create allegorical scenes which touch on mental health and social values, telling stories borne out of true experiences. The paintings I create explore scenes from my imagination, which I do my best to paint as vividly as I saw them." - Kelechi Nwaneri, 2019.
2019
STASIS, Djakou Kassi Nathalie, Olawunmi Banjo, Kelechi Nwaneri
| SMO Contemporary Art
| SMO Contemporary Art
2020
Through My Eyes
| Akka Project
| Serge Tiroche
October 1, 2021
'Ted Lasso' recap, Season 2, Episode 11: My therapist, she wrote me a letter
| NPR
| Linda Holmes
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October 1, 2021
Ted Lasso, Season 2, Episode 11: My therapist, she wrote me a letter
| Apple TV
| Sasha Garron
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October 2, 2021
Ted Lasso - Sam meets Banksy
| Ted Lasso Clips
| Ted Lasso Clips
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November 1, 2021
Why Did Lindsay Lohan’s Art Spark Furries’ Fury? What Is the ‘Shadowman Experience’? + More Questions I Have About the Week’s Art News Plus, what is Ted Lasso's take on the rise of African art?
| Artnet
| Ben Davis
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January 16, 2022
Kelechi Nwaneri: Using Cultural Symbols to Tell Stories
| The Guardian Nigeria News
| Njideka Agbo
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