Bio

Nneka Peters was born in St Andrews, Jamaica (1992) and currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. She utilizes photography and the editing process to explore themes of memory, nostalgia and our connections to the past. Having worked in multiple spaces in the creative industry, Peters applies her understanding of different subjects to bring them new life by incorporating color and light in inventive ways. 

Highly influenced by her family and culture, her work draws inspiration from the simple beauties of life, the shared histories of Black people and her faith. Her “We See This” series is currently on view in a virtual exhibition in collaboration with Littman + White Galleries and will be on view at the AD Art Show at Oculus in Downtown NYC in May 2022. In addition, “A Taste of Home will be featured in the SHIM/Photography exhibition at Atlantic Gallery in NYC on April 12 - April 26, 2022. 

Statement

I think of my work as an extension of my childhood and evidence of a person’s ability to persevere and find joy in the face of adversity. They are improvisational stages to give voice to the inaccurate and distorted histories of Black people, making room for new origins to take root. Most of my work focuses on recent or immediate connections to shed light on the power in crafting our own narratives. My artistic practice is similarly anchored in stacking and layering multiple images to reconstruct existing perspectives into something new. 

While I have an ultimate vision for each artwork at its inception, my artistic process flows organically and much of my inspiration emerges in the editing process. The use of bold colors and graphics is as intentional as it is natural, inviting the viewer to apply their senses and examine the beauty of their individual and collective pasts. Within contemporary art, my work stands as an example of the importance of memory and time to my community and our unique way of using art to embolden each other to celebrate our existing environments and experiences. 

www.nnekapeters.com

‍What continues to motivate you to create your work?

I believe we are all born with a God given purpose, whether that is creating art or systems through scientific processes – creativity is woven throughout everything we do. For me, God is the ultimate creator and motivates my inherent call to express my perspective and connection to the world around me.

Art reflects the spirit of people at times in history. As a Black woman, it is critical for me to continue sharing these stories with my community and other audiences. Propelled by truth, resilience, and love, our memories and stories are able to live and breathe through art. In this series I explore my Jamaican heritage and connection to my roots, while exploring experiences and perspectives with other countries through the human subjects in my work. Since connections are formed through various cultural achievements, every meal, export, or story can be passed down for generations to come.

In essence, my work exists through God, memory, history and is motivated by my instinct to translate human connection into a visual medium.

Who or what influences your practice?

I’m heavily influenced by my family and the memories that I associate with my childhood. I hold onto the memories of my cousins and I climbing mango trees and my mom and aunt cooking Jamaican food for the family, and most recently my Dad climbing his coconut tree and my brother on the grill. The colors, the shapes, the smells, those intimate moments that are unique to my family all shine through my work.  

I see my art as documentation of our lives that can be passed down to my child and future generations. As a self-taught artist, looking at my family’s history pushes me to explore my practice and the bits of us that are unknown. I’m learning new things about myself and my work daily, which can be emotional, but is ultimately really exciting.

My friends are very inspiring and so are the subjects in many of my works, specifically the series Taste of Home. Many of their ancestors were born in other countries and in working with them I learn more about their cultures, their stories, and the similarities between us. Highlighting the diversity that I was raised around in NYC is important to me. The Asian markets in Brooklyn and their connection to the Black community comes to mind. It’s standard to find Jamaican food and spices at these markets, which is one way that I have felt at home amongst different cultures.  

Nostalgia definitely plays a big part in my work, especially the colors that I use and themes I focus on. My series 2000’s Sugar Rush is a good example of this. It’s a fun and lively ode to growing up in the early 2000’s with my friends and all of the saturated neon colors and good feelings that we grew up with.  

How would you describe the mood of your work?

My work is the result of curiosity, happiness, and optimism. All of those together constitute my approach toward art. When I get a flash of something that I want or need to create, I am joyful -- and the joyful process of seeing where my work could go and how it could impact others drives me.

Color and vibrancy definitely define my work. I am drawn toward striking, bold, and eye-catching colors because they feel natural to me. Jamaican culture is very jubilant and colorful, so bright colors represent my upbringing. In a way, the colors that I use are retrospective in that they are reminiscent of the hope and opportunity that I felt in my youth. I also want the people who see my art to feel good! Color is instinctual for me, and I get to express the optimism and faith that I have through them.

What do you feel is the most challenging part of being an artist?

It’s challenging to not act on creative impulse. When a new idea kicks in and you're so excited, it’s similar to the rush of dopamine and you want to immediately start a new work. You want to dive into a new idea, but then you have to recall whether you finished your last project or are actively executing a plan that you’re meant to do little-by-little. So, knowing when to pause and have restraint and not act on impulse all the time is crucial to complete a project.

Self awareness is also very important. You need to know when to edit down and refine your strategy and technique since the business and management side of being an artist can be difficult. Being “all over the place” won’t help you progress, so you need to follow your plan.

I also find that setting aside time to reflect and assess my development as an artist has been important to managing the challenging parts. I’d recommend that to every artist.

Tell us about something from your creative life that you are particularly proud of.

This May, I was a part of the AD Art Show, which exhibited my work at the Oculus Westfield World Trade Center in New York City. The show was founded by the MVVO AD Art Show that launched at Sotheby's New York in 2018. Featuring artwork from around the world, MVVO AD Art Show is meant to discover the next generation of contemporary artists. There is an incredible selection who vets the exhibition made of museum directors, board directors, art dealers, and senior curators. It is an amazing opportunity and I’m so grateful for being chosen for such an established and well-known show.

Also, my favorite editing app, Vsco, followed me on Instagram – I’m really pumped about that!