Alvin Ukpeh Explores State of Solitude

Mary Nnah

An ongoing photography exhibition by Alvin Ukpeh titled “Solitude” would be rounded off on Sunday August 15th at South Eatery and Social House, Younis Bashorun Street, Victoria Island Lagos.

The two-day exhibition which kick-started on Saturday, August 14, the artist said was inspired by his state of solitude at a point in time in his life.

“It is titled, “Solitude”, because at a specific time in my life that was how I felt and that is what shaped a lot of the pictures that you see here today. So this exhibition is very intimate to me and that was what gave me the concept to shoot most of these pictures”, he told THISDAY during the flag off of the exhibition yesterday at Victoria Island.

Speaking further about the inspiration behind “Solitude” he said, “You see, at a time, I was also influenced by the COVID-19lockdown, so I had to be by myself for about four months and after that I took a trip to about three countries and seven cities including New York, USA; Maryland, USA, California, Puerto Rico, which inspired most of these pictures here today.”

Ukpeh who said he just went on a photography journey just for himself, added “I went on a trip just to collect how I was feeling, the state of my mind and so, I was just shooting how I felt which you see in a lot of these pictures which have one person in them.”

“Subconsciously I was shooting but I did not realise until when I was going through my recent shoots and found out that this is how I was feeling because I really believe in the quote by David Alan Harvey, that says, “Don’t shoot what it looks like, shoot what it feels like” and that’s how I take my pictures and my angles” he noted further.

Ukpeh is a 26 years old graduate of Agribusiness Management from the University of West Virginia. He is from Akwa Ibom State but born in America. He moved back to Nigeria where he now lives and works while also honing his creativity in photography.