Five Solos Amplifies Eco-feminism, Nature at Q-Gallery

Yinka Olatunbosun

Defying the downpour, visitors were ushered into the recent VIP opening of the group show ‘Five Solos’ at the Apapa-based art gallery, Q-Gallery. The show which showcases three female and two male artists is yet another effort by the gallery to amplify nature, push against gender barriers and bridge the age barriers of exhibiting artists.  A walk-in experience brought to view the works of 74-year-old Veronica Ogene, a retired civil servant whose canvasses parade some abstract paintings inspired by mud and clay colours. Her stint in South Korea after retirement served as an eye-opener and subsequently, she began to work with charcoal and much later, paints. From painting as a pastime, she advanced to being an exhibiting artist that is capable of making moments still for every viewer.

With Taiye Erewele, it was quite natural to tap into her flair for feminine beauty, design and stories of African women. Her personal experience is broad given her background of being raised in different parts of the country. Her first 16 years was spent in Kano and she later completed her BA in Fine Arts from the Ambrose Alli University in 2008 as the Faculty of Art’s best graduating student. Later, she obtained an MA in Visual Arts from the University of Lagos.  This experimental artist whose figures are dark-skinned spoke about her technique and style as well as the inspiration behind the five pieces.

“I am a storyteller; I tell stories of the female gender. That’s what I try to portray in my works. My body of work is titled ‘Enchanted.’ The striking thing about my paintings are the pose, gesture and the eyes. I like to show the mood of my subject so that you can put yourself in the shoes of the subject. I want the viewer to imagine that this is who they are.”

The works capture the varied emotions in the different phases of a woman’s life: when she’s in love, when she is anticipating love and when she is happy and confident regardless of her relationship status.

For Grace Igbavbota, art is the mirror that reflects its environment. Using mainly oil paint on textured canvas and denim jeans, she gives the viewer a taste of her representational impressionism. The 2015 graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University is also influenced by her late mother and Afrocentric modernization.
Through his choice of materials, another experimental artist, Nzekwe addresses the effects of mass consumerism resulting in the over-exploitation the effects of mass consumerism resulting in the over-exploitation of natural resources. Using ecofriendly wood and discarded materials, his art highlights issues such as climate change, freedom of expression, child rights amongst others.

While exploring nature through his landscape paintings, Joseph Ayelero draws upon the life in the suburbs as subjects of his creative pieces. The multimedia artist who studied General Art at the Yaba College of Technology develops from the imaginary to the real world.

The radical feminist and leading female artist, Juliet Ezenwa Pearce brought textured works on canvas to the show. the pieces are the product of her experimental work in printmaking – a spinoff of the knowledge of producing masks, masquerades and installation. The show marks the first time this particular body of works would be exhibited by the artist.

“I wanted to show masquerades but I was afraid that it might frighten some people,’’ Pearce said.  “So, I’d rather show the textured works which are more of abstracted forms generated from the making of the female masquerades. It came out like that. Art consumers who do not want figurative but abstract works like these would be appealed to. The idea is to inspire thoughts and ideas. I have been doing this masquerade-themed pieces for more than seven years.
For her, producing the female masks and masquerades is her way of showing resistance to the erasure of female representation in African art as well as the patriarchal system of governance and living in African culture.

“It is my opinion that there is some misogynistic content is driving this patriarchy that is constructed against the woman. It comes off as hatred for the feminine. The rivers are considered as feminine-they are called goddesses. It is my research to know how we left the pre-colonial worship of the river goddesses where the rivers were sacred to the present-day situation where we now throw trash into the rivers. Is this practice related to hatred for women?” she asked rhetorically.
Pearce has also edited two books on Nigerian art namely Issues in Contemporary Nigerian Art, the first and second series.