KALAKUTA #2

Ramel Jasir, 2024

Acrylic on canvas

48 x 60 (121.92 x 152.4 cm.)

KALAKUTA #2 is a visual anthem—bold, rhythmic, and unapologetically alive. This painting is a powerful tribute to the legendary Kalakuta Republic, the radical commune founded by Fela Kuti that stood as a fortress of resistance, music, and liberation in 1970s Lagos.

In this electrifying composition, Ramel Jasir channels the spirit of defiance through a vibrant geometry of coded symbols, layered grids, and Afro-futurist colorwork. Each form pulses with rebellion. Every hue—regal purples, burning oranges, tribal reds, and defiant greens—echoes the urgency of protest, pride, and power.

What sets this piece apart is its intricate topography. Textures ripple across the surface like secret maps. Close up, the work reveals a hand-etched terrain—almost hieroglyphic in feel—each groove carved with intention. This is not just paint; it’s memory sculpted into color.

Just as Fela Kuti’s Kalakuta Republic was a sanctuary for truth-telling through rhythm and resistance, KALAKUTA #2 becomes a visual republic—an independent zone where pattern, purpose, and protest converge.

Whether you see music in its lines or movement in its symbols, this piece invites you to remember that art is always a form of revolution.