Cassi A. Namoda is redefining what it means to be a Mozambican performance artist and painter through the exploration of Mozambique’s post-colonial identity. She believes her country is in need of more cultural innovators.
Indonesia, Kenya, Haiti, Dominican Republic. These are just some of the places the young artist passed through while growing. Her time spent in different parts of the African continent proved to be a very formative experience as each country is so unique. Living in Lusophone Africa, she noticed how they were benefited by their influence in the West, while in Francophone Africa she found lingering remnants of the colonial past.
'Mussiro women, IIha de Ibo II' - Image Courtesy of Cassi Namoda and Goodman Gallery
In Mozambique, she observed a disconnect from spirituality which was different from her time in Haiti and Benin. Her time in each region proved to be pivotal points in her life, and would contribute to the artist we would come to know today. Her nomadic upbringing is attributed to her father’s desire for her family to develop a greater understanding of the world.
John Mbiti - a Kenyan theologist who explored African spirituality in Christian thought - has had a large influence on her work. “The symbolism in my work is very much inspired by African spiritualism like when I’m thinking about John Mbiti’s writings. Maybe in my life too, I view things like symbolism and that might be my innate understanding of the world by understanding that things are sacred.”
Today, she is a well-known performance artist but this was not her original path. Namoda was not formally trained in painting. Initially, she was studying cinematography at the Academy of Arts in San Francisco. She later went on to pursue endeavors in lens art, as well as writing. This experience has led to her ability to create stories through characterization and recurring symbols.
“When I met her, she wanted to become an art curator and she was already filling that role by promoting the artists in her social circle,” says Dziwani Monteiro, one of her close friends. “So, when I first saw her playing with watercolours, I was not surprised. I think she had always wanted to become an artist and was just building up the courage to do it.” Her first show was in LA centered around small paints. Her first solo exhibition was titled Bar Texas, 1971 in exhibition space Library Street Collective, Detroit, Michigan.
She now finds herself painting every day where she spends time “culminating research and inspiration and other things.” Namoda explains: “I think as things have become more demanding, I paint every day.”
Image Courtesy of Cassi Namoda and Goodman Gallery
'Womb' - Image Courtesy of Cassi Namoda and Goodman Gallery
Moving between the US and Mozambique as a biracial woman, she has learned the nuances of race and identity and that has transpired into her work. “The only way I know how to navigate is by pulling from different references. In some ways me existing as a person of colour, essentially in a Black body in America, I think it’s important to be political within the work but also think that it has to feel honest. And I also wanna bring something new to the table - I’m more interested in how the painting makes you feel.
“Doing the show in South Africa was super important and doing the show in São Paulo will be just as important because I don’t want people to confuse me as just an American artist or just an African artist. I’m really interested in a global dialogue.”
She is described as an introvert amongst her friends and a rare gem in the Mozambican community. Monteiro added: “I am not sure if I can define Cassi’s artistic process but I think that it starts from her curiosity, her natural ability to observe the world, and her insatiable personal need to investigate her Mozambican heritage. It’s fun to watch her growth in real-time and I don’t think that she is aware of how valuable her contribution is for Mozambican art and society.”
'To Live Long Is To See Much (Ritual Bathers III)' - Image Courtesy of Cassi Namoda and Goodman Gallery
When looking at her own country, she dwells on how the nation would be without colonialism. “I think Mozambicans are very self-reliant people. I think it is funny but there are pros and cons. In some ways, colonialism has made Black thought even more intense because you know who you are in context to the colonial world.” Looking at her country’s interactions with external conquests, she believes that these have only added to the country’s uniqueness.
Beyond her race, duality is of great significance to her as she was born a twin and that has contributed to her desire to collaborate and create beautiful pieces of work with other people.
From Miami to London, Los Angeles to Johannesburg, the artist has exhibited her work in some of the biggest cities in the world and she shows no plans of slowing down anytime soon. She has painted for the cover of Vogue Italia and was named as one of the ‘Rising Arts Stars of 2020’ by Elephant Magazine.
Although she has received much recognition across the globe for her outstanding work, she hasn’t gained as much attention in Mozambique. “I’m really not sure why because people know me there but I think what needs to happen is that there would be a show of mine at some point down the line in Mozambique.” She also acknowledges Mozambique’s lack of cultural investment. “You have all this language around architecture because it advances society then why not have the same for art? But let’s not forget about writing which is also super praised, but how long are they still holding that narrative of writing (that) it’s super important? It’s all about easy money. The more you respect your cultural heritage and your sort of cultural language and disposition, then the more you’re willing to say ‘no’ to anything that cheapens it.”
Her perspective on the existing environment for Mozambican artists is that they are undervalued. “I think Mozambican artists to some extent do not take themselves so seriously because to some extent society does not deem them serious members of society. And they should because they are advancing Mozambican culture especially now with the world being a global connector.”
'Bar Mundo at 12am' - Image Courtesy of Cassi Namoda and Goodman Gallery
Now in her early thirties, Namoda continues to seek new opportunities and discover creative mediums outside of painting. She refuses to put herself in a box. “I think there should be no end to exploration with what anyone does. No matter how nice a studio is, it’s still a studio - it’s still four white walls. I think my process is very experiential. It's about living, it’s about accessing cultures, it’s about meeting people.” As she is mapping out this year, she might soon find herself working with artisans and weavers in Mexico or back in Mozambique, exploring her heritage. Only time will tell what Cassi Namoda will do next.
'Carpau in the Deep Abyss' - Image Courtesy of Cassi Namoda and Goodman Gallery