Silent Connections opens in Ibadan with new generation of artists

By Henry Akubuiro

As global conversations continue to examine the nature of human connection in an increasingly fast-paced and fragmented world, Silent Connections emerges as a timely and reflective exhibition. Opening this Easter season, the exhibition brings together a compelling group of emerging Nigerian artists, whose works engage themes of identity, emotional introspection, family, societal expectations, and the subtle forces that shape human experience.

Organised by the Oluwole Omofemi Art Studio and Gallery, Jerico Road, Ibadan, and curated by Abiola Adeleye, the exhibition marks a significant milestone as the first showcase of artists selected through the gallery’s open call initiative. Conceived as a platform for discovery and development, the open call reflects the vision of founder, Oluwole Omofemi, whose commitment to nurturing emerging artists extends beyond exhibition into mentorship and long-term career growth.

The exhibition features works by Soyombo Smith, whose abstract and symbolic compositions explore the tension between perception and expression; Patience Adekunle, who transforms electronic waste into emotionally driven portraits that speak to resilience and environmental consciousness; Daniel Ayomide Emmanuel,  whose figurative works reflect on family bonds, relationships, and shared lived experiences; and Shorunke Michael, whose practice examines the balance between external noise and inner stillness.

Collectively, their works form a layered narrative that moves from internal reflection to shared human experience, reinforcing the exhibition’s central idea that connection often exists in quiet, unspoken forms.

With its opening scheduled from April 4th to April 10th in Ibadan, during the Easter period, a time associated with reflection, renewal, and reconnection, Silent Connections offers audiences an opportunity to engage deeply with a new generation of artists shaping contemporary discourse. Members of the public, collectors, and art enthusiasts are invited to attend and experience the exhibition. The event kicks off at 4 pm.

Speaking to Daily Sun, the sponsor of the exhibition. Omofemi Oluwole, said: “It is part of my support to encourage and mould the artists to move forward  in order to give them the privilege and the opportunity to use my space as a place of exhibition.”

He noted that this exhibition was a product of a call for entries last year, and the artists were grouped for the final selection. “I started this initiative last year, and am also looking forward to having a residency programme here. I actually want to take it further by bringing more resident artists in my space in Ibadan to encourage them,” he said. 

Shedding light  on the forthcoming exhibition, the curator, Adejeye, said in her curatorial statement, “Silent Connections brings together a group of emerging artists, whose practices examine the subtle and often unspoken dimensions of human experience. At a time when global discourse continues to question the nature of connection in an increasingly mediated world, this exhibition reflects on how identity, emotion, and relationships are formed not only through visible interaction, but through quieter, internal processes.

The artists, she said, presented approach this inquiry through distinct yet complementary visual languages. Also, “Soyombo Smith explores the tension between perception and expression, using symbolic abstraction to articulate thoughts that resist verbalization. Patience Adekunle engages material transformation, repurposing electronic waste to construct portraits that speak to resilience, environmental consciousness, and the emotional weight of lived realities.

“Daniel Ayomide Emmanuel situates identity within relational spaces, reflecting on family, companionship, and the social structures that shape belonging, while Michael Shorunke examines the tension between external noise and inner stillness, proposing reflection as a necessary condition for clarity and growth.

“Together, these practices form a continuum that moves from internal reflection to shared experience. The exhibition suggests that connection is rarely immediate or overt; rather, it is constructed through layers of memory, perception, responsibility, and interaction. In this way, Silent Connections invites viewers to consider not only how we relate to one another, but how we come to understand ourselves within those relationships”