United Kingdom-basedOluwafemi Omoboriowo’s latest work, ‘Peace of My Heart’, delves into mental health, psychotherapy, and spirituality, showing that artists can sometimes move beyond the creative sphere into scientific fields.
THE visual expression of hyperrealism transcends mere representation when the subject matter is personalised. This is precisely what artist Oluwafemi Omoboriowo achieves in his latest work, ‘Peace of My Heart’, a piece that delves into mental health, psychotherapy, and spirituality.
The charcoal, white pen, and acrylic artwork on canvas explores the intricate connection between the mind’s inner workings and the meditative state, suggesting that artists can sometimes extend beyond the creative sphere into scientific fields.
But can art truly bridge the gap into disciplines like psychology, mental health, and human behaviour? Omoboriowo’s monochromatic strokes answer this question with energy and depth, positioning art as a powerful medium of inquiry. By anchoring his creative vision in such profound themes, he opens his work to admiration and critique, daring viewers to examine the intersections of art and science.
The artist’s choice of themes and thoughts would create a familiar spot for artists, mental health professionals, and spiritualists to converge.
In a critical context, Omoboriowo’s ‘Peace of My Mind’ either becomes a reference point for art and science convergence or gets mocked for outstepping creative ‘boundaries’. However, the art contents, particularly regarding hyperrealism, bring astounding feeling. For two reasons, being a drawing and monochrome texture, ‘Peace of My Mind’ catches one’s attention, reminiscing about masterpieces of the post-renaissance era.
While artists may have to contend with critics of hyperrealism who always argue that art shouldn’t replicate photography, Omoboriowo draws the conceptual line of contemporaneity. His mixed media of charcoal and acrylic creates a depth of penetrations, scanning every part of the model’s skin, including water droplets.
Whatever water means to diverse applications, its contact with the human body is among nature’s most spiritual and scientific mysteries. And when it flows from the head to the torso, as captured by Omoboriowo in ‘Peace of My Mind’ – with dramatic drippings and droplets – art takes its spot in celebrating the symbolism of nature.
Interestingly, the more one gets engaged in appreciating the mastery of an art piece such as ‘Peace of My Mind’, the further the argument about ‘aping photography’ escalates critical thought. Again, as most critics would argue, the advent of scientific curiosity like photography was an attempt to copy from the natural creativity of fine art and not the reverse.
For Omoboriowo’s ‘Peace of My Mind’, the striking details in the hidden particles of skin, enhancing the three-dimensional feature that coalesces the droplets, appear like a step ahead of even the most advanced high-definition camera. Between art – in its natural rendition – and tech-enhanced visual artwork, the challenge always rests on artists like Omoboriowo to keep proving the resilience of fine art.
For ‘Peace of My Mind’, the conceptual strength of the piece comes in the symbolism of the dove, depicting the restfulness of the soul. Omoboriowo states that his concept “explores the universal yearning for peace within” an individual’s mind. He explains that the “water droplets streaming down the figure’s face and torso represent liberation, purification, and the eradication of past pain.”
Irrespective of whatever narrative man wishes to push forward, many creative professionals have appropriated nature, particularly animals and plants, to symbolise set goals. Omoboriowo also brings the dove into his concept, which is expected to represent ‘Peace’ as the focal point of the theme. Planted on the figure’s chest, the dove’s spread of wings radiates peace, with an olive branch clipped to its peak.
However, what’s the connection between the figure’s heart or soul and a dove in flight? “The dove stands for rebirth, peace, hope, and the inner serenity that arises,” Omoboriowo states. “With its wings extended to represent freedom, grace, and elegance, it’s like an extension of the subject’s spirit because of how close it is to the chest.”
The personalised theme of ‘Peace of My Heart’, according to Omoboriowo, indicates the possessiveness focus of the work, serving “as a reminder that peace is not something that can be found outside of us.” He argues that peace is “something we can grow by being strong inside. It’s a graphic tribute to the strength and ability of the human spirit to start over.”
Omoboriowo studied Fine and Applied Arts at Obafemi Awolowo University, where he specialised in painting. He is pursuing a master’s in art at Teesside University in the UK, further honing his skills and broadening his knowledge.
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