A Journey of Self-Discovery through Draughtsmanship 

Yinka Olatunbosun 

Bubbling with energy from his solo exhibition opening, Somtochukwu Obi waltzed through the crowded room inside Thought Pyramid Art Gallery, where his works are currently hanging. Titled The Being Us, the exhibition is a near-philosophical excursion through the artist’s probe of the familiar to make bold statements about human existence, especially about being Nigerians.

Obi, a Lagos-born self-taught visual artist, draws upon his childhood experiences and social realities to create unique pieces on canvas. With a background in architecture from Covenant University, Ota, he uses an architectural ink pen as his primary tool for portraiture.

As a child, he used to make exact replicas of the portraits of prominent Nigerian leaders directly from Naira notes. “My father had dreamed that I would study pharmacy, but I was anxious that studying pharmacy would mean losing my art, so I studied architecture instead,” his story goes. 

Meanwhile, his father, who had previously delivered the opening comments, captured the scene on his mobile phone.

Obi explained that he was introduced to architectural ink pens for drawing building blueprints, but he quickly realised their potential for artmaking. “I developed my own art style, using the ink pen to practice portrait art. Most of my initial works, from 2017 to 2020, were client commissions,” he said.

The Being Us series, which serves as a window into Obi’s soul, is a showcase of multifaceted stories, experiences, and environments that define the Nigerian nation.

Heads of women constituted a common sight in his body of works. For instance, in “Better Things to Come,” the artist parades his signature ink pen style in this mixed media painting that exudes aspect(s) of indigenous cultural identity—the African braids.

He explained that women are progenitors of many great men and women in history. Hence, being a woman is not a disadvantage. 

In addition, reflecting on what he described as the ‘empty promises’ of the ruling class, he presents paintings that raise questions about governance and the current state of Nigeria’s economy.

Aside from that, one of the works titled “When Things Were Simple” dredges up memories of his boyhood and the innocence of those bygone years. In this work, he recreated an African child’s existence before the internet on canvas, rehashing layers of prior experiences.

A show-stopping piece titled “I’m Ibo, So What About It?” tells the story of his encounter with tribal sentiment while in search of a studio apartment in Lagos. This experience led to a powerful response, as he recalls: “The landlord asked, ‘Are you Ibo or Yoruba?’ I already knew Ibo was the wrong answer. I then responded, ‘I’m Ibo. What about it? Are we not all going through the same economic struggles? What is wrong about being Ibo?’”

Ovie Omatsola, the exhibition director of Thought Pyramid Art Centre and curator of the show, meanwhile, extolled the artist’s painstaking effort to stage the show and why art connoisseurs are attracted to such works on display. “Collectors are not just paying homage to the aesthetics of the works but buying as an alternative to investments,” he said.

Also at the show was the Lagos State Commissioner of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka. “He [Obi] just showed me the works, and I promised to come because I would like to encourage him and others like him. Just do what you believe in. You are telling the Nigerian story in a very different way,” she said.

A lecturer at Covenant University’s Architecture Department, Eghosa Noel Ekhaese, who has been a pillar of support to the artist, recalled how he discovered very quickly that Obi brought a very artistic nature to his architectural work. “He is very focused,” he said. “I saw artistic talent in him at his 100 level. He has a comic facade and you may not know how serious he is until you get close to him.In architecture, we teach design but Somto taught himself art.” 

The show runs till September 14.