Meditative Glimpses of the Realities of Man’s Inner Life
Yinka Olatunbosun
The aura in the secluded dark room was overwhelming, packed with messages that are rooted in cultural symbolism. The artist, Tobi Adebule, who works as a photographer, created this research-based show, titled Tales of the Inner Man, at the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), Sabo-Yaba, Lagos, after a six-year hiatus from the art scene.
The said dark room comprised photography, black linings as floor carpet, and an installation of a white pillar supporting a bowl of golden eggs. Sometimes, the lights would be turned off for the viewer to appreciate certain elements of the works. The subdued lighting was a deliberate part of the visual narrative on man’s conflict with the self and the world. The curator, Matthew Oyedele, revealed that this evocative body of work called Ìbòjú Òkùnkùn is intense with emotion, especially at its opening.
Accompanied by the artist and the curator, the walk through the dark room was meditative. Recounting the experience that propelled the collection, Adebule revealed how evangelism and metaphysics are central to this research project. Apart from infusing aspects of Yoruba culture, he drew comparisons with the objects of interrogation and real-life subjects.
“This has a lot to do with spirituality and not spiritism,” he explained. Adebule considered the show as a comeback after his illness and other limiting circumstances of the past few years. “I decided to create works for healing. The works also serve as a connection between metaphysics and the reality of the human mind, where the audience will have a spiritual connection that searches their thoughts. This proves that my works are not just art, but [also] visual evangelistic materials [which are meant] to instill a sense of purpose and self-discovery in every viewer.
“This exhibition is a novel. The whole idea of making the space dark is to help someone focus. The veil symbolises the thing that blocks a man from seeing opportunities and greatness. There is something that holds someone back from attaining that purpose. The dark veil can be procrastination, covetousness or laziness or wicked powers.”
Adebule explained that the egg represents the fragility of life while the white pillar represents Jesus the Light. Using the Ayo board game, he makes a philosophical statement on the game of life. “In Ayo, there are those who are waiting to occupy your position as soon as you lose the game. The same goes for life. We are always competing. whether in the workplace or elsewhere. “
In the series titled “Eyin Iyawo Oni Meni series,’’ Adebule explores the nuances and intricacies of marriage in Yorubaland, where the bulk of prayers, advice, faults, and counsel often goes to the woman.“She is usually the first to be tagged barren and encouraged to invoke the spirit of children through the romanticising of baby dolls, in the case of infertility in marriage,’’ he said while explaining the significance of the baby dolls in the series.
Adebule argued that men should share the emotional burden in a childless marriage. Having sat with his mother and other women who recounted harrowing stories of delays in child birth, he decided to tell this story using photography and installations. Yams, traditional attire, and other items from a bridal gift package were included in the installation.
“I got these clothes from my mother and some gifts she received at her wedding,’’ he said. Adebule presented women as strong warriors in the journey of life, with images of some women armed with rifles. Other works in the show include “Osuka,” “Ojo Ibi,” “Sekere,” and “Larin Ota.”
The curator, Oyedele, remarked that the show is a product of several narratives and moments of retrospection. “Tales of the Inner Man is an exhibition of cumulative stories that emanate from the artist’s encounter with his spiritual self, scrutiny of his environment, and, by extension, investigation of social constructs. By merging sound, photography, and objects of representation, the artist invites the audience into states of retrospection, epiphany, enlightenment, and awakening of self that exalts the necessity for questioning and connection with one’s metaphysical self.”
Adebule had his first solo exhibition in 2015, where he addressed issues of terror, grief, loss, and the aesthetics of human existence. The highlight of the exhibition was his documentation of loss, memory, regret, and grief that followed the Jos crisis of 2010. Outside his research projects, Adebule has worked as an official photographer for Guinness Nigeria, Etisalat, Malta Guinness, and Haier Thermocool.
