This is Robi Walters first solo show at the Quantus Gallery. A Nation of Millions refers to the many hand cut petals that make up his collages. Each tiny piece comes together to form a whole – much like his spiritual practice where the individual morphs into the one, cosmic consciousness. It also references his early years and the impact hip hop culture had on him as he embarked on his creative journey writing graffiti. So he thought it particularly fitting in 2023, the year the world celebrates the “50th Anniversary of Hip Hop” to pay his respects. The album “It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” by Public Enemy was hugely impactful and as a British youth of West Indian Heritage whose grandparents were of the Windrush generation;  the title also translated to his heritage here on the other side of the Atlantic. 

Robi Walters is a London-based artist who opened his own gallery and studio space in the heart of Soho in 2018 and now works from his studio/showroom. His mesmerising, colourful collages have attracted celebrity collectors such as Rob Rinder, Michael Bublé, Bryan Adams, Mark Noble (West Ham), Thandie Newton, Stellan Skarsgård  Maxim from the Prodigy and Major Lazer’s Diplo and Jillionaire. In 2017 Robi presented a piece to Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt. Music is a powerful influence and he has collaborated with several renowned musicians including U2, Mary J Blige and Sir Paul McCartney in order to raise money for charities.

These mesmerising, socially-charged pieces are born from sacred geometry, exploring inner space and the calm he seeks in his daily meditation practice. Over the past decade, his oeuvre has communicated the art of transformation, employing discarded materials to create a unique commentary upon consumerism, consumption and waste. Robi’s artistic practice echoes his own life. The process of taking discarded objects and making them beautiful and ‘wanted’ reflects the spirit of transformation with which he has turned his own life around. Robi continues to break past his own boundaries to make his dreams reality