Kúdia Narciso

The difficulties faced by the art community in Africa is not a recent problem. Lack of support from governments and pseudonyms that do not reveal the true identity of the artist are some of the aspects that may be related to health of art in Africa. But in the face of such a negative scenario, defence barriers are surfacing. Intergenerational exchanges between emerging and established artists are now a reality, evidenced by the sharing of knowledge and experiences and, broadly speaking, artists have been coming together in order to internationalise their art. One example of this is Kúdia Narciso. Some people work five days a week, but not him. Of Angolan roots, the artist dedicates all his days to art. He finds a reason that keeps him going in everything he sees and feels. Narciso does not search for the art you find in dictionaries, but the one that scours the past and takes another shape in the future. Even in the search for perfection, the artist keeps himself simple on the inside. 
His real name is Norberto Narciso, but he ensures that there is no line that separates him from his pseudonym. He has sought to open horizons with the trips he has made, to compensate for the eight years of schooling he was allowed to attend. Brazil, Spain and South Africa. He travelled around, absorbing what the wind, the sea, the people and the architecture transmitted to him. When he returned to Angola, he came across some contrasts that were not visible to him when he had left the country, so he was «surprised to see a reality that might no longer exist». Meanwhile, life took it upon itself to show him another world apart from art. The Church and his job as a customs accountant became his life, although he never stopped making use of his sketchbook. 

The dream of one day taking the country beyond its borders

Until the arrival of COVID-19. When the pandemic struck, Narciso found himself unemployed, so entertaining his mind became a necessity. It was then that he decided to join the National Union of Fine Artists (UNAP), and it could be said that his life took a significant turn for the better from then on. For some time, he put himself in the position of an apprentice, spending part of his time observing the work created by other artists. Gradually, he conquered his own space, and was given a room so that he could work on his art, alone. Just him and the unspeakable words. 
His pieces began to be exhibited in the cultural association and, as a result, the public bought them. From then on, the artist realised that the time was right to devote himself to the passion he had harboured since childhood, and that is how UNAP became a second home for him. But his love for photography does not go unnoticed either. Influenced by a friend, he tells us that for a long time he used a modest camera, with low resolution, but that every time he used it his heart was filled. He considers this to be a love that is different from painting, which is compared to the passing of the day.
Another process he recently discovered were masks. Not just any masks, but bran masks. «I use various techniques. I can put wires, bottle caps, ... An idea that came out of nowhere. My wife makes kissângua, a common drink in Angola, made with bran. That’s where the inspiration came from. I took advantage of what was left over from the kissângua. I tried to combine it with white glue, and began modelling,» Kúdia explains. Believing that success comes from work, he admits that «it is not always easy to be an artist», especially in Angola. He confesses that the Ministry of Culture should give more support to cultural projects, but that, until that day comes, he intends to perfect his technique and feed his spirit. What remains is the dream of one day taking the country beyond its borders and perhaps becoming an inspiration himself. Today Kúdia, tomorrow another African artist with the same ambition.