‘Innovative Testament’ Berths at Tim and Carol GalleryYinka Olatunbosun

From Sunday June 18, art connoisseurs will converge on Tim and Carol Gallery, GRA for the opening of Kunle Adeyemi’s solo show with the title “Innovative Testament.”

Adeyemi, an art scholar and printmaker had his last solo show- a travelling exhibition-in 2019 when he celebrated his 60th birthday. This new show which runs till July 2 was conceived as a personal showcase of refined skills earned through the doggedness of doctoral research and advanced studio practice.

“What I learnt during the studio practice for my PhD informed the theme for the exhibition. It involved continuous research on my environment and myself,” he said.

Innovative Testament revolves around paintings, digital art, printmaking, sculpture and poetry- a proof that the artist is poised to challenge himself despite his demanding academic obligations.

On the strength of over 85 joint exhibitions and 20 solo shows in Nigeria and abroad, Adeyemi has been an inspiration to a new breed of artists particularly his students at Yaba College of Technology where he lectures and once served as Dean, School of Arts, Design and Printing Technology.

Drawing upon childhood experience in the countryside, Adeyemi reimagined man’s experience of nature and animals in the series called Dialogue with Nature. For him, this is his way of restoring the collective memory of his audience.

“I found out that Lagos is a cosmopolitan city where bricks have taken over everything,” the artist explained. “I want to see a situation where someone can be in his comfort zone in his room or apartment and look at how birds jump from tree to tree, playing with their nests. I grew up in the village and came to the city.”

Adeyemi fuses his colours with realism to make his imagery relatable. Still, he explores some semi-realism to make aesthetic statements.

The trend of emigration popularly known as Japa was also probed by the artist, without necessarily being judgemental. With the subject being an unemployed Nigerian in search of greener pastures, the piece unmasks the layers of issue that form the catalyst for this mass exodus of Nigerians to other countries of the world.

“I used the work to emphasise the need to be patriotic. Our leaders need to fix Nigeria. The work has been beautifully created not to be offensive but to reflect our social-realities in Nigeria.”

While reflecting on the works, the Curatorial Director and Arts Consultant, Moses Ohiomokhare describes the show as one that creates an “avenue for intellectual argument and debate and that is a mark of scholarship.”