Lakwena Maciver’s stunningly bright, colourful, enormous paintings seem to burst out of the walls of the small, cosy Vigo gallery situated in the regal and awfully posh area that is Masons Yard in central London, a stone’s throw from the Queen’s appointed grocer, Fortnum and Mason.
London based artist Maciver has created a body of work for this show at Vigo gallery called Jump Paintings based on famous American basketball players.
Each painting uses physical and biographical references of the players she is representing.
Basing the length of each individual piece on the player’s height, it’s hard to notice the small differences in size as most basketball players are extremely tall.
Images interjected with slogans and bright swathes of colour adorn the almost messianic plywood boards that represent a basketball court.
Maciver paints with acrylic and uses polyurethane to build up multiple layers of gloss that trick the viewer into thinking the paintings are housed under glass.
At times it’s hard to tell that the dove and hands used in Tacko, Dennis and Magic are actually created using paint as they look so lifelike that they could be photographs.
The overlapping of immaculately painted images and use of slogans to great effect, give a very firm nod to collage.
An already well established artist with an international reputation and supported initially by commissions and sports giants, Maciver’s work now demands prices north of £25k.
If you go see just one show this January, take a trip to Masons Yard and visit Mackiver’s paintings at the Vigo gallery.
You won’t be disappointed.
Jump Paintings at the Vigo gallery opens on 19 January – 28 February 2022.
