Handle With Care - Exhibition @ Obz Lifestyle Market by Apondi

Handle with care... for there is an internal battle going on in almost every being roaming this Earth. Each battle manifests itself differently. Why? Paradoxially, albeit simply enough, each person is a culmination of particular rites, myths and dreams etc. Needless to say: we are filled with contradictions. Perception is essentailly what governs our BEING in relation to others and I believe that influences our understanding of not only ourselves but of others as well, so I posit that we ought to always strive to be mindful and reflexive of our judgements and prescriptions of ourselves and others in order to attain the highest form of harmony.

Self-acceptance is at the core of harmony and peace. Needless to say it goes hand-in-hand with self-knowledge. Moreover, for me, self-acceptance is a process of healing. Healing, as noted by psychologist Francoise O'Kane and many others, is generally viewed as eliminating negative aspects of the Self and solely focusing on the postive aspects of ones being. However, I think this is contradictory to the very definition of self-acceptance. Does acceptance not imply integrating and accepting both "postive" and "negative" aspects within the totality of the personality?

Phoebe Apondi's work surely speaks to this. She, like many others whose attitudes have been dominated by the Dark self, has stuggled with feelings of deep depression and has been a perpetrator of self-harm. Fortunately, she has been able to grasp this concept of complete self-acceptance and was able to express herself through her illustrations - which were exhibited at the lovely Obz Station Market about a month ago. The talented, second-year film student from Kenya describes her work as a "coming-out party to celebrate ones[her] effort in healing oneself [herself]".

My personal favourite: To me, this speak to how varied and complex BEING is. I'm a firm believer in saying what one means and meaning what one says. Paraphasing the words of poet Nayyirah Waheed; one should strive to not betray ones mind. However, this requires both substantial knowledge and complete acceptance of oneself; temet nosce.

Finally, the process of healing begins, as Scott Mescudi beautifully articuated in his latest body of work Speedin Bullet 2 Heaven, once one "accesses and aceepts" onself. A continual and conscious effort in doing so is key; so handle thyself with the utmost care.

Now that you have discovered a young, brave and talented Kenyan artist; acquaint yourself with and support more of her work and being.

Find Apondi on Tumblr and Twitter under: https://www.tumblr.com/search/Apondi

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;)

- Zaza N