By Damiete Braide
Eight contemporary artists, recently, at Legend Hotel, Lagos Airport Quits Aviation Services Free Zone, Airport Rd, Ikeja, held a three-day exhibition entitled “Via Dolorosa”, organised by The Kokopelli Gallery, Lagos.
The artists showcased 24 artworks, which examined many facets of the human experience with the raw intensity of emotion, as well as those that purvey a more contemplative, meditative space for reflection, offering visceral confrontations with the exertions of life and a more oblique or metaphorical approach.
The artists included Bolaji Ogunwo, Greg Onyeka, Seyi Ogar, Luli Okedoyin, Suraj Adekola, Osifeso Ezekiel, Korede Aremo and Imomoh Asemokha.
Curator of the exhibition, Tobi Ibiwoye, said: “’Via Dolorosa’ explores works by the artists who have captured the raw and emotional experiences of the human journey by depicting their outlook through a range of style and technique, from modern cubist approach and surrealism, to minimalism and the impasto techniques; the artists offer a deeply personal exploration of the human condition, inviting you to surf the various ebb and flows, and triumphs at the terminus.
“The human figure is central to each of the works; from the twisted and contorted forms as seen in the ‘The Watcher by Imomoh, the heavy and extravagance in the usage of colors by Bolaji Ogunwo, the physiognomy and mien of Greg Onyeka’s ‘Unwavering Attention’ and to the graceful and resilient postures in ‘A Little Sonder’ by Luli Okedoyin, each piece captures a different facet of the human experience. Some of the works depict the emotional iffiness one is exposed to while traveling this road, while others convey a sense of hope and perseverance that helps to carry on.
“Through their powerful representations of the human’s physical and emotional features, these artists spur an invite to reflect on individual journeys and to find meaning in the same. They remind us that, just as Jesus carried the cross travelling Via Dolorosa, we must also bear the weight of our own, however not without a satisfying end in mind.
Some of the artworks exhibited were Bolaji Ogunwo’s “River Island”, “Glad Tidings”, and “Sound of Abundance”; Imomoh Asemokha’s “The Blind Stares of A Blind man”, “The Watcher”, and “The Firm Stand”; Luli Okedoyin’s “A Little Sonder”, “The King, the Soldier and the Poet”, Seyi Ogar’s “Estelle, Together at Dusk”.
Others included Greg Onyeka’s «Memory Pull», «Early Rose», Korede Aremo›s «I Think», «A Am I», «Plan B», «I am You and We are Magic», Suraj Adekola›s «Pilgrim›s Pride›, Pilgrim›s «Soul», «Pilgrim›s Sanctity» and Osifeso Ezekiel›s «The Paradox of Headship.»
Bolaji Ogunwo is a painter with over 50 local and international exhibitions and a dexterous portraitist. He is currently a Painting Lecturer at the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos, Akoka.
Imomoh Asemokha works are predominantly in the painting and print media where he uses colours to communicate several metaphorical allusions. His broad spectred oeuvre spans across a number of thematic range which seems to be borne from a certain creative restiveness.
Luli Okedoyin is an artist whose works are represented abstractly by human forms and colours. With acrylic as his preferred medium, bios paintings are usually imaginative and are mostly surrealist.
Seyi Ogar is a self-taught mixed media artist and he expresses himself using graphite and charcoal pencils, and, in recent times, acrylic paints on paper. Inspired by his experiences, environment and imagination, he began creating works that express but are not limited to individuality, identity and originality in a unique style through portraiture and colours.
Greg Onyeka loves working with various mediums. He often attempts to exercise his creative instinct using mixed media. He has 15 years of studio practice and has exhibited severally within and outside Nigeria.
Korede Aremo’s works are visual documentation of her thoughts, basically like a journal. In thickly layered, bright coloured acrylics, and pencil work, they represent personal and and shared anxieties that she and her friends have experienced and how it manifests consciously in what we do or unconsciously in dreams.
Suraj Adekola’s works are informed by post colonial narratives as he examines the tension and relationship between racial identity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in Western environments.
Osifeso Ezekiel’s walks through various art institutions have positively affected his style, choice of medium and his art philosophy. He has also been influenced by great masters like Edosa Oguigo, Sam Ebohon, Abiodun Olaku, Wallace Ejoh and Josh Nmesirionye. His works revolve around urban Nigerian life and its socio-political issues.