By Henry Akubuiro
With over 200 artworks to his credit, Malcolm Udogwu transverses the world of painting and sculpture with intriguing mastery. From the alluring, vibrant colours that allure to utilitarian sculptural works produced from his studio at Queens, New York, USA, the artist, who is also a writer and a documentary photographer, is gradually having the world under his feet.
The Owl Gaze, a sculpture by Udogwu, was a product of recycled materials, which gifted artists with foresight do not dispense with. Explaining how he created the work, the artist said: “When I extended my daily workout route to include my neighborhood, I knew I would discover strange and new outdoor features. These features included century old buildings, wild plants, and flowers along the Flushing Park waterfront. And to know that I have invested time and labour to produce this artwork, affirms the need to be aware of your surroundings.
“Most of the wood pieces used in the above work came from the Flushing water shores. These are driftwoods that are washed up along the shores, and they are known to have been used by artists and woodworkers to produce quality and texturised work. They are durable and dense.
The decision not to paint the woodwork was decisive. The whole package looks natural, the texture is murky, and the mural is suitable for indoor garden and outdoor space.”
A recent painting by Udogwu, Mgboro, oil on canvas, 30 x 50, is cut out for lavish praise. The vibrant colours deployed are complemented with symbolic imagery intersecting between the human and spirit worlds.
Udogwu, 72, a self taught artist, set out with draft books, but he poured his heart and thoughts or any ideas and designs that caught his attention into his pocket draft book. From using pencils to black Indian ink, acrylic paints, he appropriated oil paints to give depth to his work.