"A Little Bit of Peace" Print by Lele Msibi

Inkjet on Moab Entrada Paper

24 in x 36 in 

Edition: 2/10 

ORIGINAL ARTWORK

“A Little Bit of Peace”

28" x 44"

Charcoal and Joint compound drawing

2024

Eric Gyamfi is a photographer I recently came across who’s images define a powerful simplicity. In this series he took photographs of little kids in Africa with their eyes closed that emanated a level of peace and sanctuary that I believe we all wish to encompass, especially through periods of difficulty.

“A little bit of peace” is a charcoal and joint compound drawing of one of these beautiful little boys. His eyes closed. Except, a sunflower replaces one of them. This sunflower acts as a window into his imagination. It is a suggestion of the colorful and creative vision all children have, no matter where they are from or what they are doing.

A creativity that we try our best to maintain as we grow but tends to get lost in the winds of responsibility and the necessity to mature.

What I appreciated about this series is that Eric chose not to display these children’s real surroundings of dust and poverty, but instead enveloped them in a black background as if to shine a light solely on their individuality as children. An individuality that too tends to get lost in the motion of what we call growing up.

This piece, and the one that precedes it (“Sweetheart”) were both from the same photography series and both impacted me tremendously.