Tiffany-Annabelle Shows Unfiltered Reality of Nigeria inDeconstruction of Coat of Arms

This her second Nigerian solo exhibition and Tiffany-Annabelle Davies titles it Behind the Coat. In this exhibition, which opened yesterday (Saturday, October 29 at Miliki on Victoria Island, Lagos, she deconstructs the Nigerian Coat of Arms as a metaphor of the current state of Nigeria. Through the deconstruction of this emblem of national unity, the artist thinks that it belies the prevailing atmosphere of mutual distrust in the country.

She explores this idea, screen-printing with acrylics on canvas, all while maintaining her signature style in the use of triangles. Although she enters new territory in terms of her medium, she vastly explores the dichotomy between national excellence and a struggling nation by using the Coat of Arms as a metaphor.

The self-taught artist, who holds a University of Surrey, UK degree in law, expresses her disillusionment about the nation’s failure to keep its mission of cohesion. Through the offerings in this exhibition, she dredges up the frustrations of Nigerians and their sentiments about the national symbol, which seems to have lost its meanings. 

Beneath these sentiments lurks a message of hope depicted in the works, which include the activity wall where collective voices express what they want in a president. The activity piece, which invites the audience’s participation, is being introduced by the artist for the first time after her sold-out debut solo exhibition MIssAligned. The statement wall, titled “A President Should Be:”, she invites all viewers to write out one quality they think a president should have.

The 10 works in the exhibition, which echo her message of possibilities, are tributes to the resilience of the Nigerian. Besides highlighting the moral issues in the society, the works also include such themes as strength, dignity, and beauty, which are visible in her employment of certain elements of the Coat of Arms in her work. Above all, the Itsekiri-born artist acknowledges the flaws and strengths of the country and its people by evoking emotion through an often-overlooked emblem.

For her,  She started drawing at the age of six and has also explored creative graphic design, being self-taught in Photoshop and Illustrator. She recently started pursuing art full-time and has since sold-out her debut exhibition entitled MissAligned.

About Tiffany-Annabelle: 

 Visitor Information

 Admission: Free

 Date: 29th October – 10th November 2022

 Opening times: 1 pm

 Press Information

For more information, interviews, and images, contact: 

Ntianu Obiora, +234 812 208 5325, ntianu@tiltcollective.com