“Vision and all it involves have inspired a great deal of the works in this exhibition tagged Talking Canvases, wrote Best Ochigbo, Professor of Painting at University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. “In exploring the relationship between the support and the medium, how the medium is manipulated into tangible visuals to stimulate the aesthetics in the mind.”
In his Introductory note for the exhibition, Ochigbo explained how “Oyedemi appears to give back to society all the surreal engagements and gifts of nature through his creative ingenuity.”
Excerpts from Ochigbo’s thoughts: “His works provide us a perfect balance of medium and forms that opens the gateway to fulfill our Soul purpose of aesth- etic assimilation and contemplation. Talking Canvases by Oyedemi appear so bubbly and delicate with a lot of action and dynamism, rendered in soft backgrounds that fuses with the forms in seamless nuance. https://alternativeadvert.com/show_i.php?b=1096219728
“I am delighted to invite art collectors, curators, enthusiast and historiogra- phers to view this exhibition that satisfies the soul’s aesthetic yearnings. It’s an exhibition that offers each and everyone something to take home.”
In his contribution titled Durbar: An Appreciation of John Oyedemi’s Paintings, Professor Shehu Imail Chafe, noted Durbar displays as “an elegant mosaic of personalities and paraphernalia consisting of, but not limited to the royal fathers, traditional title holders like the knights, the chiefs, warriors, body guards, and stewards.
Chafe, who is of Department of Fine Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, wrote that the personalities behind Durbar come “with a mix of alluring costumes worn by participants, riding on horses adorned in beautiful costumes of captivating grandeur, befitting the status of the rider.
Source: African Arts with TJ Sowole
