I am absolutely shocked and so deeply sorry to hear the terrible news that our artist Patricio Mawete has passed away. Our sincere condoleances from all of us at OpenArtExchange go to Nick and all of his family and friends. He had such a big heart and was such a great mentor for so many young artists in Luanda over the past years, deeply religious, always ready to serve others. No doubt, he will be gravely missed by the many artists in Luanda whom he gave the chance to develop themselves, his family and many friends and people he helped. 

So many personal good memories: I will always remember your great hospitality, having dinner at your home, taking me to my first African wedding, your big smile. The studio in Luanda, your big dream together with Cristiano and others. The images of your residency for Back to Human, your big trip to Europe. Exhibiting together with Bouvy Enkobo, Astrid Meyer, Lawrence Kwakye, Don Sebas Cassule. Humming away whilst painting with your pallet knives in our gallery, the opening with the recital of Fenneke Hordijk's poetry, visiting the Rotterdam museums. We all grew together, working on this dream to grow African contemporary art in one way or the other. I simply cannot believe that you have left us. 

Thank you for everything my big Maestro.  You will live on in our memories, forever anchored at the roots of OpenArtExchange. A beautiful grand soul has left us, rest in peace!

By Joke Bakker-Jansen

Patricio Mawete, born in Kwaza Norte Province in Angola, 1977. He was trained in the Academy of Fine Arts in D.R. Congo and subsequently did apprenticeships in painting and sculpting  at Atelier Etona and ceramics at Atelier Domingos Tekassala before setting up his own Atelier Mawete in Luanda, where he also worked to curate and revive plastic arts in his country and the rest of the African continent, betting for young talented artists. 

Mawete was a great colorist and masters a variety of styles, from realistic to abstract, expressionist to cubistic, but mostly semi-abstract with some figurative elements in it. His more abstract paintings often seem futuristic, technical constructs full of symbolism with a lot of movement.   

His first solo exhibition took place in 2001, called “The Power of Color”, after which he exhibited regularly in Angola and abroad. In 2006, his exhibition “Substracionismo” took place in Luanda, which formed the basis of his style and philosophy. 

Some say that “Substracionism” is the philosophy that brings one back to the space where the environment has assumed the essence of human life, where the laws of nature continue to illuminate our senses in face of everything around us. 

Mawete’s more figurative work often deals with social values, placing the African woman, family and community values as the cornerstones of contemporary Angolan society, resulting in sometimes almost iconic socialist art. It reflects his deeply religious and social beliefs where people and other life forms are all connected and should serve each other, rather then just live for themselves.

Though Mawete was firmly based in Luanda, playing a crucial role in raising a new generation of artists, he has exhibited in various countries in Africa, New York, London, Paris, Netherlands and Belgium