I Won't Leave as I Came : Oscar Joyo's solo show

Oscar Joyo’s second solo exhibition with the gallery

Born in Malawi and based in Chicago, Joyo returns to the roots of his origin story, exploring a childhood he barely remembers through the eyes of an American who doesn’t always feel accepted. This show marks a return to his signature photo-realistic portraiture, expanding on his ongoing series Ubuntu—a Chichewa word meaning, “I am what I am because of all of you.” The work reflects the power of community and the duality of his identity as both an African immigrant and a Black American.

This exhibition takes his exploration of identity further, featuring larger canvases, rich textures, and vivid, cosmic-inspired color schemes. Tobacco plants—a major Malawian export used in healing and sacred rituals—glow with bioluminescence, while thermal and infrared skin tones give his subjects a futuristic edge, turning Blackness into a symbol of evolution, revolution, and resilience.

Recent political pressures on immigrants have led Joyo to revisit themes of migration, aiming to portray immigration as a source of strength rather than fear. His work reflects the complex emotions of anger, sadness, and longing for his homeland while finding connections between Malawi and Chicago. As a Black immigrant in a city he loves, he continues to evolve and grow. When he finally returns to Malawi, he will not leave as he came.