Beyond Limitations Runs Live at Terra Kulture

By Rebecca Ejifoma

A Group art exhibition, Beyond Limitations, by John Urherigho Onobrakpeya and Ogakwu Chinedu, is currently featuring about 40 abstract art repertoire of paintings and woods at the TerraKulture art Gallery in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The show, which will run till July 11, aims to display an array of their most aesthetic art pieces through. Their intense passion and extreme love for nature is the foundation of their creativity.

For Ogakwu, his vision as an artist is to really remind Africans and the world at large of his root and cultural heritage which should not be left to fade away. His most recent discovery in art is using dry tree bark to produce mixed media 3D paintings.

 His seemingly impulsive combinations of forms and colours, scale and perspective, are always surprising and call into question how the viewer deals with processing visual information.

True, he believes that wisdom comes when the “new” and their thoughts merge with the “old”. “My work consists of using bark of wood to create the basis of the pieces.”

Ogakwu, in a statement, enthused that he transforms the bark of wood in his work, they are given new relevancy. One can discover endless little details and to me every new piece challenges me to use mixed materials such as nets, wood bark, wood extracts, ropes, camouflaged canvas, more media and techniques.

Undoubtedly, one thing spectacular about the duo is the aesthetic use of colours. As an abstract painter, Ogakwu’s love for colours and use evokes many moods. “This artistic trance allows me to bring diverse sources from my background, culture and life experiences, thus my interpretation of a subject matter is transformed into rich, vibrant bold colors – timeless, awakening the soul, uplifting and radiant.”

In a statement issued to THISDAY, while award winning Onobrakpeya will show a repertoire of “Black Model”, “Creation”, “Assemble”, Ogakwu will display “Envision”, “Illusion” and “Revolution” among several others.

 They have unanimously called on art connoisseurs and art enthusiasts, home and abroad, to come taste their cocktail of creativity.