LONDON- Hackney – In the ever-bustling multi ethic part of Hackney, in east London, a soft spoken, heavily accented middle aged male, sits calmly inside the popular Costa Coffee shop, just by Dalston train station, sketching away!
Cemo Wenekar, originally from Kurdistan, lived a lengthy part of his young adult life in Sadam Hussain’s Iraq. Barred from speaking his native language in some countries like Iraq and Turkey, discriminations, systemic genocide and outright ethnic cleansing, has always been what his people, the Kurds, have always had to deal with for as long as he can remember.
He states that the oppression faced by Blacks on a global level, he certainly can relate with as an ethnic Kurd. Now living in London, a multi ethnic and diverse city, his interaction with other races particularly black people has broaden his perspective and fine-tuned his sensitivities.
As he strives to get his artworks into London galleries, he spoke about one of his most memorable works, a portraiture of a Nigerian female, Kisha. Wenekar said her moving experiences as a black female in this environment, resonating with him, although se waa female and Black
Wenekar believes with his talent, as a portrait artist, bringing awareness via up close human drawings, putting these drawings of all races side by side, will hopefully give a positive perspective to the world, that though humanity comes in different shades, we must always strive to understand that, the human, is really same all around the world
In a short spontaneous audio interview, to be added soon, Wenekar gives a quick insight into his origins, experiences, inspirations and life’s yearnings for humanity
AUTHOR: Editor ioiNEWS London
SOURCE/ AUDIO/ IMAGE: ioiNews