At Soto Gallery, MBPR Agency Uncovers ‘Moult,’ a duo exhibition

Yinka Olatunbosun

MBPR Agency presents ‘Moult,’ a duo exhibition by Adewole Damola and Tomiwa Arobieke. Opening at Soto Gallery from July 21 till August 6, 2023, the show is an exposition of the creative journey of the two young artists.

The exhibition theme is derived from the word ‘moutan,’ which means “the shedding of feathers, hair or skin.” Indeed, the origin of the word ‘Moult’ dates to the 1400s. Moutan is a tall shrubby peony tree, native to China and Tibet with stems that regrow from the buds after each growing season.

With a theme that alludes to transformation, the show is curated to juxtapose twenty of the artist’s new and old works to showcase the change in their style and thought process within a year of growth, aided by studio practice and research. Moult is indeed an aperture into the world of mutual creativity.

On the one hand, Adewole Damola (b. 1995), in Ibadan, is a contemporary visual representational artist based in Lagos, Nigeria. He holds a Higher National Diploma from the prestigious Yaba College of Technology, Yaba Lagos where he groomed his turf in visual art under the tutelage of the renowned artist and curator, Akinola Ebenezer. Using acrylic on canvas, he explores diverse mediums of drawing with the hope of producing more varied forms in future. With a knack for the superimposition of subtle uses of colour and styles, Adewole tells stories of an individual, sometimes challenging the propriety of culture or lifestyle. Some of his works are in various private collections in the UK and India.

On the other hand, Tomiwa Arobieke (b.1999), a native of Ogun state, was born in Ibadan, Oyo state. He graduated with a National diploma in Science Laboratory Technology from the Polytechnic of Ibadan. Arobieke, who began painting as a child, has honed his craft through rigorous years of practice. His works in this show are reflective of African lifestyles as manifested in strong relationships. While romanticising nature, Arobieke creates pieces that embody joy and pleasure.