FRESH off the joint exhibition, ‘Ode to Yesteryears’, commemorating the 2023 Black History Month, New York-based Tribes Art Africa Gallery (TAAG) is not relenting in its quest to keep projecting under-represented artists into the global market.
After the successful 10-person ‘Ode to Yesteryears’ featuring Obiora Anamaleze, Maria Tendo, Esewhaye Oghenetejiri, Jonathan Kabeya, Wisdom Uche, Eno Bassey, Samuel Inalegwu, Mayowa Adekile, Emmanuel Amiolemen, and Kolawole Samson Oluwadare, TAAG has started showing another group of artists.
‘Transcendence: Exploring the Boundaries of Art and Perception’, showing exclusively on Artsy.net after opening on March 23, is a six-person show. Artists participating in the show ongoing till April 23 are Carlos A. Solis, Eyitayo Alagbe, Toju Clarke, Toba Kayode Samuel, Olaniyi Omotayo and Toluwalase Raymond.
In a statement announcing the show, TAAG said while the artists share a common goal of pushing the boundaries of creativity beyond possibility, they each bring a distinct perspective into the mix. “Through their work, they explore themes of identity, memory, perception, and the interconnectedness of all things,” the gallery explained.
Flaunting his charcoal skills, Alagbe shows the gains of being deliberate as he blends what he described as “semi-tones of joy, love, hope, and peace, weaving together themes of beauty, brotherhood, unity, and friendship.” He hopes his art will promote “enduring treasures that Africa holds, including her unique customs, communal and mammalian inclinations, and her enviable dark and strong skin.”
His art, he explained, “seeks to highlight the inexpressible and underrated beauty of black women, using my art to showcase the intricacies of their lives and experiences.”Solis’s art pays tribute to the wildlife of the Amazon or Indians of Venezuela, among others, in the vastness of North and South America. “Fortunately, I have the pleasure and the opportunity to experience the richness of many cultures in South and North America, which allows me to expand my imagination even more; it also helps me to understand the differences and similarities between both worlds,” Solis said of his vast experience of two regions.
“My work reflects the distinctness of my artistic perception from those experiences, which provides vivid colours and physical details to make something visually pleasing, grotesque, or unfamiliar to look at.” His art, he added, attempts “to create awareness and express an opinion about our delicate habitat and lack of knowledge about cultural and racial diversity in South America.”
With his dynamic and thought-provoking art, Raymond is among the fresh artists from Africa, specifically in the Nigerian contemporary art scene. The artist’s visual narration speaks to the complexities of the human experience.
Raymond explores themes of self-image, identity formation, black history, gender constructs, and the impact of society and government on untold stories. He gained experience as an intern curator under the late Bisi Silva at the African Culture and Design Festival in 2016.
“Toba Kayode Samuel’s intricate paintings use the human form to explore themes of interconnectedness and spirituality,” TAAG’s statement described the artists’ styles and techniques. For Omotayo, texturised canvas seems to be the strength in celebrating native aesthetics, especially of African descent. “Olaniyi Omotayo’s colourful impasto and paintings explore the beauty of African culture and the resilience of the human spirit.”
The Head Curator of TAAG, Rodney Asikhia, stated that the convergence of the artists for the Transcendence… exhibition “creates a truly immersive and thought-provoking experience.” Asikhia noted that the show challenges everyone to question the assumptions about what art is and can be.
He added that the artists’ works “encourage us to see the world in new and exciting ways.”
Asikhia assured that ‘Transcendence: Exploring the Boundaries of Art and Perception’ will be an unforgettable experience across art followers’ interests, such as being an “art lover, a collector, or simply looking for inspiration.”
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