Art by Deng: A Talent Worth Spreading
6 min readArt by Deng Forbes: Education Through Art
By Kur Wel Kur, Australia
“Uniqueness in fine art and music sells to us regardless of our ages, occupations or localities.”(Sunnyman, Sevena and A-mac Don: the faces of young South Sudanese’s music in Australia).
March 23, 2015 (SSB) – The most priceless and popular painting exists in Paris. The piece has become a national property. So the authority has sealed it with a bullet proof glass. Leonardo da Vinci, the artist of Mona Lisa painting, didn’t rise to his fame by chance but by ingenious of his thoughts in his craft (art). And people of his community or class came into an epiphany that he produced exceptional works.
Deng’s art can hold the same standard one day but we must support his art as early as today. Remember, every time we share his art or this article, shows our caring, not for him (Deng) but for our (South Sudanese’s) creativity. Sharing is caring. Remember, poor qualities pieces less transform into classics by promotion.
But I bet you, Deng’s art locks in and release a beauty with a value. More than any other support, we hone our skills in anything when we’re supported psychologically and socially. By this, I mean we should visit and like or share his Facebook page (Art by Deng). You can even place in an order for your piece because nothing equates to pointing to a work of art on your wall, a piece that originates from your country.
Art by Deng: The hub of mass communications.
Before, I explain this piece, I would like you to study it yourself. Can you observe the precision and beauty of this piece?
Deng captured the elegance and vulnerability of a glass and the wine in this drawing. Half-full broken wine glass, represents our precious country. A country is as fragile as a glassware and citizens are as vulnerable as liquids (wine, water or milk) in a glass.
The broken glass exposed liquids to all dangers such as wind; wind takes drops of them (liquids) before they touch the ground and the rests soak the soil. Broken land lures blood-sucking vampires, diseases, hunger and illiteracy (another killer). In broken land, women and their children flood the country with rivers of tears.
The elegance and vulnerability, balanced precisely, makes these drawings, works of values and art. The pieces succeeded in communicating their messages.
His art depicts information in 3D (symbolic communication)
A soldier on a lion, his eyes blindfolded with South Sudan’s flag. I believe this drawing means, SPLA fight or fought wars on war unconventional animal (lion). Remember, ancient people used horses as the conventional war animals. However, Deng depicted TRUTH in this piece by challenging our thoughts with a soldier blindfolded on a lion. The flag symbolises sovereignty. If other nation offenses our country in anyway, and the war becomes a last resort, then (soldiers) SPLA sees only the symbol (flag) of our country.
Symbolically, Deng used a lion to represent unconventional Truth we use to wage dignified wars (minus this current war). Remember, before the birth of ROSS (Republic of South Sudan), SPLA as a guerrilla army, saved 3,000 prisoners of war while the Khartoum government with all its abilities saved no single prisoner of war. That’s unconventional truth (lion) because most guerrillas are ruthless, but we fought on that truth.
___His interpretation ___Here’s what Deng had to say when I asked him about the meaning behind this piece:
“…one of my very first drawings, I did it in response to the Heglig conflict between South Sudanese government and Sudanese government. It’s a symbol of how united we are when under any attack”.
His art conveys originality and inspirations.
This was my only way of expressing how I felt about the suffering of the Nigerian girls kidnapped by boko haram, and the risk of potentially losing 50,000 S. Sudanese children to hunger and diseases this year due to the ongoing conflict if nothing positive is done. Africa we need a change!
When I surfed his page, the artistic adventure warmed my cold memories for my beloved country. The captions on his drawings are the glittering nuggets of the real patriotism.
From his empathy and sympathy for the victims of South Sudan’s war to his encapsulating feelings for whole Africans’ affairs, especially the kidnapped Nigerian girls, Deng’s creativity is packed with the true leadership roles that inspire the whole lots of generations.
He had this to say about intending to inspire:
“I know, there are many other South Sudanese artists out there who need to be inspired and exposed, and I really hope that my work inspires them to embrace their talents”.
The ability to observe and record details about situations or people, then reproduce them in precise manners, makes his art a discipline that requires not only an outstanding judgment but also a speed of light to capture the moment just as the artificial cameras do.
If you knew or had seen the photo of a legendary political, racial and social problems rapper, Tupac Amaru Shakur, then you won’t ask: ___even without captions___ whose portrait is this on Art by Deng’s page? That’s the true genius of his art
His art stores history
Before writing (invented in Mesopotamia, around 3200 BCE and in Mesoamerica around 600 BCE), video (in 1951) and camera (discovered in 1816) emerged, people used sculptures and drawings to communicate and store historical information.
Today, art holds the same functions it held 1500 years ago. The Mona Lisa’s painting, a 498 year’s old piece, explains the past every time experts (world acclaimed artists) observe it in a different angle. Art by Deng, captivates us with our historical information.
His art speaks louder than written and spoken words.
He articulated it this way: “When words fail, art speaks. And I want to use art as a tool to send out a message that everyone can relate”.
For sure, he nailed it right. When the war ignited, many opinions writers and press owners at home and abroad wrote gazillions of words to describe how destructive the war is; however, Deng dropped one drawing(the one above) to visually and psychologically show why war is a loss of lives.
Again anyone who visited his page must know that Deng is an economist of words. He uses words as rare as black diamond to describe a magnificent piece of art that worth 10,000 words. A clear and critical thinking. A literacy at its best.
So my people, that’s amazing and outstanding talent. May God of our country blesses you in sharing this talent and caring for our creativity.
Art by Deng is an outstanding and amazing work. You can visit his page on Facebook (Art by Deng)!
Enjoy the work of our own, Deng Forbes. God blesses our country and you.
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