Odò t’ó bá gbàgbé orísun yí ó gbẹ translates as 'the river that forgot its source will eventually dry up'.
This is a Yoruba proverb that I live by in my art.
In my pursuit of knowledge of art in galleries and museums, I rarely come across works that represent people of my complexion, and when they do, they often reduce our existence to some limited convictions. This has prompted me to employ traditional western figurative styles of art to create paintings that celebrate Africans' presence against dominant historical and contemporary narratives. My art asks questions about what is bonafide and who decides what is worth representing.
How do we change the single story narrative in which many judge the immensely diverse people of ethnic minorities? How do we rectify the underrepresentation of other cultural backgrounds in our society? How do we inspire a new generation of artists to embrace their identities? These are some of the questions that concern my practice.
My work is motivated by my desire to tell stories that draw the interest of all, regardless of their ethnicity and cultural background, a devotion that aims to bring equality to artistic representation.
Concentration, oil on canvas, 122 x 122cm
Ìfẹ́ àti Oní’dìrí (Love and the Hairdresser), oil on canvas, 122 x 122cm
Caviar, Ajao and the Shamrock, oil on canvas, 214 x 122cm
3, Ìfaradà Street (3, Perseverance Street), oil on canvas, 240 x 150cm
Picnic in the Twilight 1 (Basotho queens), oil on canvas, 174 x 114cm
Catch-up at the dome, oil on wooden panel, 122 x 92cm
Picnic in the valley of Lesotho, oil on canvas, 152 x 122cm
The Comfort Zone, watercolour
Young Madam, watercolour
Margaret Clarke Gallery, approach view