Emores turn up at Nike Gallery

Yinka Olatunbosun

Oghenemeyoma Emore, a 19-year old young graduate with a passion for visual arts just as her elder brother, Oritsegbemi, a 21 year-old, is gifted with photography and documenting scenes.

Together, their creative spirit is blossoming into a full-time career for them and will soon be a talk of the Lagos art scene. Since her undergraduate days, Oghenemeyoma had been painting landscapes.

Oghenemeyoma began the journey on canvas and pastels when she enrolled at Lycee Francais Louis Pasteura, in Nigeria before proceeding to University of Worcester, UK where she recently graduated and participated in her first group art exhibition.

Parental support also played a pivotal role in her arts. “My father egged me and my brother on how to draw and paint. Learning the ropes of drawing from him made me to go for art related courses in my career.’’

While in school, she drew inspiration from two world famous art figures, Marcel Duchamp and Nigeria’s Yinka Shonibare while her mercurial mind delves into the use of acrylic on Ankara works. “I use acrylic on Ankara which is my special medium over the years. And my pieces always come out colourful,’’ she said.

The exhibition scheduled to open at Nike Art Gallery Lagos is tagged I am. The siblings expect a good outing in terms of good patronage. The show which features no fewer than 30 works will be opened by the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Deuys Geuyer and will run till August 31.

The two siblings in their first joint outing in their home country are upbeat that their encounter with collectors and aficionados at the Nike Gallery Lagos will be a remarkable one.

“I am very happy to have this opportunity to showcase my photography in my country for the first time. It is a dream come true because it offers me the space to show the photography I have taken over the years to the public,’’ said Oritsegbemi, who is inspired by nature, love of the environment and everyday social realities.