Four contemporary African painters explore cultural identity and personal history in Unfinished Lines, an exhibition presented by Art of Contemporary Africa (AOCA) at Minnesota Street Project in San Francisco. Featuring Papytsho Mafolo, Hussein Salim, Pascal Konan, and Aza Mansongi, the exhibition brings together distinct approaches to painting and mixed media. Each artist uses line to explore how lived experience shapes the present.
The exhibition takes its name from Mafolo, who deliberately leaves lines unresolved in his paintings. Fragmented figures combining human and animal forms emerge from these layered surfaces. For Mafolo, unfinished lines evoke “an infinite world” and remind him that he has “not yet arrived” artistically.
Hussein Salim approaches painting through layers of vibrant color and intricate patterns. Salim creates heavily textured canvases that reflect his experience of displacement during the Sudanese civil wars. Memories of home and Sudan’s cultural heritage remain central to his practice. “For me, art not only evokes memories and contemplation of the loss of home but it also encounters the present and shapes the future,” Salim says.
Pascal Konan, an Ivorian painter, works on denim, using bleach to remove the fabric’s indigo dye before adding acrylic and Chinese ink. Fine lines connect while others trail off without reaching another figure. His approach reflects his belief that “art is at the service of society and is a useful tool for raising awareness.”
Aza Mansongi’s paintings are equally dynamic. The Congolese artist, who lives and works in Douala, Cameroon, layers patterned forms, printed fabrics, lace, and butterflies into busy compositions. Her work brings traditional African masks into conversation with contemporary fashion and technology. Repeated lines and circular patterns create a sense of movement without a clear endpoint. For Mansongi, this energy reflects her outlook on life. “Hope is all that matters,” she says.
Together, the four artists show how a line can carry meaning beyond the canvas. It can evoke displacement, connect figures, or circle back on itself. An unfinished mark leaves space for new interpretations, allowing a work to remain open to change.
Unfinished Lines is presented by Art of Contemporary Africa in collaboration with The Melrose Gallery at Minnesota Street Project in San Francisco through October 24, 2026.
Unfinished Lines brings together four African artists exploring identity, memory, and cultural heritage through painting and mixed media.
“From Dream to Reality,” 2021, mixed media on canvas, Papytsho Mafolo
Papytsho Mafolo, “Metropolitan Life,” 2021
From layered figures to intricate patterns, each artist uses line to reflect personal histories and connections to community.
“Beneath the Veuls of Silence,” 2025, acrylic on canvas, Aza Mansongi
“Connexion,” 2024, Pascal Konan
Hussein Salim. (Photo: Clint Strydom)
On view at Minnesota Street Project in San Francisco through October 24, 2026, the exhibition considers how art leaves room for change, discovery, and new interpretations.
Pascal Konan, in residence
“Untitled,” 2026, acrylic on paper, Hussein Salim
