Von Racknitz + Baer Gallery and Bluelobster Art Agency are pleased to present its first exhibition with the Ghanaian-born multifaced self-taught artist, Selassie. He uses the brightest colors for expressing all kinds of moments in life. Selassie’s latest art works reflecting his inner conflicts about finding his own path in life and the longing for happiness. “As an artist you are a regular man or a regular woman, you don’t want to be, but you are caught up in it. Being a young dad and artist, I am still figuring out my path and my feeling of not bonding with our society. When I think about the regular man in our world, who fits in I can see that this person wants to be accepted and loved. A regular man wants to catch his own roses.” - Selassie

Selassie uses ‘catching roses’ as a metaphor for finding self-love, acceptance, an individual longing, and inner peace. He believes that there is no humankind who is not striving for this sort of fulfillment in life.

Born in Spain, Selassie came to Ghana with his mother while still a baby. His parents were both from near Accra and had separated before he was born; his father had moved to Boston. When Selassie was two years old, his mother decided to leave him in the care of his grandparents and aunts and build a new life in Germany.

He says of that time, "I grew up with all these women.... this was different... they weren't talking about competition and arms; they were talking about how to cultivate oneself." When he was 15 years old, his mother came to visit her Ghana family for the first time. She kindled in him the curiosity for a life in Europe and he went along with her.

Selassie’s work was already shown in a group exhibition at NBB Gallery as well as at Mahalla where he has his first solo exhibition in 2022.