Two Decades After, Joshua Nmesirionye Returns with Visual Symphony 

Yinka Olatunbosun

Having carved a niche for himself in painting and sculpting for over 20 years, Auchi Art School-trained artist Joshua Nmesirionye makes his debut solo exhibition ‘Symphony’ an experience to remember at the Yenwa Gallery, Victoria Island, Lagos. Born in 1968, Nmesirionye is a Nigerian postwar contemporary artist who studied fine art at the Federal Polytechnic in Auchi, Edo State. He would further groom his turf at the Universal Studio of Art in Lagos, where he met the legendary artist Abiodun Olaku and others. There, he was introduced to a variety of techniques and worked with various media. It was a fairly competitive environment for artists, and the end result is self-discovery.

Today, Nmesirionye boasts such a wealth of experience and also teaches young aspiring artists the needed skills to flourish. While reflecting on why it took so long for him to do a solo show, he revealed his dilemma as a full-time studio artist and a family head.

“I am a full-time studio artist, and that means I depend totally on what I do as an artist,” he began. “I don’t have any other side hustles. I am fully dependent on my work. For me, that means I have to take care of myself and my family, and doing so doesn’t allow me to accumulate artwork for a solo exhibition.”

The body of works on display at Yenwa Gallery were the products of four years of studio work. To ensure that the works had a thematic unity, he worked and, in some cases, revisited finished works to create a different experience.

“The works that are in tune with each other; that have almost the same stylistic tendency to appeal to the eyes,” he said.

Intrigued by his paintings, a walk around the gallery raised more questions about the textured paintings, which seemed identical to what a palette knife could do.

“I work basically with textured surfaces,” he explained. “I had to prepare the materials myself. Sometimes, I use newsprint, the kitchen towel, and tissue paper.”

Having studied at the Auchi School, also known as the Colour School, his works subtly accentuate colour play. Beyond that, the artist also revealed how it feels to be straddling painting and sculpting.

“I wouldn’t say it is easy. For an artist, there is always a struggle. It is like playing a balancing game. You need to be consistent in the art market.”

The Symphony show, made up of 21 works, was also a show to inspire young artists who have a passion for full-time studio work.

The work titled “Uneasy Lies the Head” is perhaps the most difficult piece he had at the show because it was at first a hard sell.

“It seemed as though I forgot about the work. One day, the gallery called me and told me that they still had the work. I took it, and I kept looking at it in my studio. Of course, the way I see things now and back then is different. I have developed my ability to the extent that I know which direction to go with a particular work. I didn’t have enough experience. But when I looked at the work again, I had to revisit it.”