Alphonse Mpeke
Press release
Alphonse Mpeke Paints A Good Impression/
By Ian Simon
“Within the black community we need to show
We can do more than just rap that we can
express ourselves through other art forms” so says
the voice of the talented artist and poet who has
recently showcased his latest series of remarkable
and controversial paintings ”Sensual Abstracts”
at the Red Gate Gallery in Brixton. His paintings
is” an infusion of African expressionism, abstract,
and contemporary styles”. His style he enthuses is
“Sensual......that’s my conception and my finger
print and I am going to use it again according to the
inspiration of the moment”
Alphonse is a passionate, expressive, yet sensitive
man who feels that as black people we need to
smash the stereotypical walls which surround us. His
paintings are provocative and imaginative. He has
a story to tell. It’s one of self exploration, and, of love
for the canvas. The impression you get is of a man
on a mission yet in Africa his work would be scorned
upon maybe even vilified, due to the themes within
some of his paintings such as sensual expressions.
It was in Cameroon though, where the journey began.
It was here where Alphonse grew up and nurtured
the hopes and dreams and indeed expectations of
a young artist. It was in these arid lands that painting
offered a therapeutic remedy against the personal
ghosts and frustrations of the youngster. “Expressing
Me remain vital as I never said much as a child
growing up in the confusing context that often exists
in Africa”
Mpeke Ntonga Alphonse is the second child of a
family of five. After the divorce of his parents when
he was 9, he plunged in an intensive struggling
moment of his life. During those difficult years
Mpeke drew, painted and wrote in order to escape
the difficult reality of his life. At 17, he discovered
through drawing, painting and writing poetry a way
of escaping, surviving and recovering from his inner
side childhood wounds. He immigrated to England
in 1997 from Belgium via France where he spent a
major part of his life.
He attended the Royal Fine Art Academy in Belgium,
where he won first prize for one of his paintings
entitled “Far from Home” Painting is first of all an
expression of liberation for him. It is also a “powerful
therapy against his personal moments of frustration
and doubts
He has also been awarded a Community Award
in 2004 by the by the Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin
Wales, for his Charity and Community work within
the Borough. This was for his involvement in setting
up a Youth Centre Project in Canning Town, East
London, helping 7 to 16 year olds to participate in
various activities to keep them off the streets.
In addition to his busy schedule Alphonse attends
UEL Docklands campus, and is studying for an MA in
Education and Development. He hopes one day to
Lecture on this subject.
A slim, studious looking man, Alphonse is charming,
and at ease when talking to me about his craft
and life. He strikes me as a reflective, intelligent, yet
immensely passionate and expressive man.
He wants his art to be an inspiration to other black
people forcing them to look within themselves and
be more expressive in their hopes and ambitions. He
bemoans the fact that many seem happy to plod
along not willing to challenge themselves creatively
or mentally. “The key word for us is freedom. We’re
looking for freedom in the wrong places. Where we
should be looking for it, we’re not”
You get the feeling that this multi talented and
determined artist will one day achieve one of his
many goals of empowering black people to be
more creative and competitive in their life choices,
through his thought provoking paintings and poetry
within the community. Alphonse knows it will be
difficult. Just like Marley said, you must first break the
Chains of mental slavery.
For more information on Alphonse’s paintings please