Xposure2024 : Nirveda Alleck “Photography, a Weapon to Change Perception of Africa”

Nirveda Alleck, an artist from Mauritius, navigates between visual arts and teaching fine arts. Born on the island, she primarily resides there, but her work takes her traveling around the world, offering a global perspective to her art. As a fine arts teacher at the Mauritius Art School, she shares her passion and knowledge with the young generation of artists.

Her current exhibition features a series of portraits titled « Masquerade. » This series interrogates the notion of masks and transformation by covering subjects with earth, similar in color to clay. Through these portraits, she explores the relationship between skin color and the environment, challenging traditional perceptions of beauty and identity.

As an African artist, Nirveda strives to change the perception of Africa through her art. She uses photography as a tool to write a new narrative about Africa, initiated by Africans themselves. Her work questions stereotypes and biases associated with the continent, thus contributing to broadening the narrative about Africa and its people.

Nirveda considers herself first and foremost as an African artist, despite the complexities of her multicultural heritage. Coming from an island where cultural influences blend, she explores notions of identity and belonging through her work. For her, being African is not limited to a geographical origin but to a sense of belonging and connection with the continent and its cultural diversity.

Through her art, Nirveda contributes to redefining discourses on identity and belonging in Africa. She believes in the importance of returning to her roots to find inspiration and strength as an African artist. Her commitment to creating a new narrative about Africa reflects her deep conviction in the power of art to influence social and cultural change.