We recently came across the luminous collage work of Jibril Linjoum Achu through his solo exhibition at The Rand Club.

Achu, who hails from Cameroon, but has been living and making art in South Africa since 2006, works with shredded paper, magazines, and found objects on canvas to speak to the societal issues he encounters through his engagements with the people and places of the city on a daily basis.

“I tell the stories of ordinary people who can turn their misfortune into fortune, turning trash into gold; hence the light they shine inspires hope for the future in the heart of the young and old to believe in themselves when all hope for help is lost,” says the collage artist.

The works in Achu’s solo exhibition comprise portraits and street scenes featuring contemporary characters of the city, often-times dressed in striking prints and fabrics, donning feathered caps and blazers. They are sapeurs, pantsulas, and everyday people living and working in the city. A complex collage of text, colour, fashion and form, they are Achu’s enduring tributes to his adopted city. Filled with joy!