FATE, a yearly show of works created by artists who spent three weeks in residence at Alexis Galleries, will be shown for the eighth time.
The program's goal is to identify, develop, mentor, promote, and provide space, atmosphere, and knowledge to emerging artists that stimulate newness, deviation, and critical investigation into traditional notions. The show, dubbed F8te, will run from February 19 to March 5, 2022.
Five artists working in oil and acrylic have been invited to explore their creative depth and exhibit works that examine and confront individual space, vulnerability, social and political commentary, and resilience in this issue.
Peter Agbadu, a graduate of Auchi Polytechnic, is one of the artists on show. With a specialisation in painting, he takes a departure from personal experiences. He invites the viewer into men’s untold stories, vulnerability and unshared struggles.
His oeuvres consist of figures that are heavily layered with scribbles and doodles of loosed acrylic strokes. Probing further, he also explores the intimate relationship between himself and his mother.
Miniature Art Fair, 2019; Art Fringe, Freedom Park, 2019; Inside Life, Vivid Exclusive Art Gallery, 2019; Miniature Art Fair, 2019; Miniature Art Fair, 2019; Miniature Art Fair, 2019; Miniature Art Fair, 2019; Miniature Art Fair, 2019; Miniature Art
He explores the concept of individual and unshared places as rooms of contemplation, reflection, molding, and preparation using acrylic.
Adekunle, who graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife with a bachelor's and master's degree in arts, has exhibited in shows such as Affordable ArtFair, Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Abuja, 2020; Solo Virtual Exhibition, National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, 2020; Art on Paper Fair, New York, USA, 2021; Solo Exhibition, Affinity Art Gallery, Victoria Island, Lagos, 2021; On Display Group Exhibition.
Ikechukwu Ezeigwe, on his part, confronts the viewer with satiric rendition of political elite, schemers and godfather-ism. His figures assume animal forms to scrutinise the corrupt, greedy, callous and power-drunk attributes of politicians.
Ezeigwe’s canvas is characterised by hybrid forms of animal head with human bodies that question and comment on social, political and economic subjects.
He graduated as the best painting student from Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and also holds a bachelor’s degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
He has also participated in group shows, which include, Tales from Within; National Museum, Lagos, 2018; Afriuture; Toronto, Canada, 2018; Ayama; Freedom Park, 2019; and Transcendent; ThoughtPyramid, 2021.
Beast of No Nation, his first virtual solo exhibition, was held at Omenka Gallery in 2020.
In 2019, Ezeigwe was named the overall winner of ThoughtPyramid's Next of Kin juried art competition and exhibition.
Mayowa Esan is a visual artist whose work focuses on the female figure and their social experiences.
Large portraits of ladies with exaggerated eyes dominate the canvas space in Esan's paintings. Esan's goal here is to focus the viewer's attention to the eye as a window into the diverse experiences that women embody.
Mayowa graduated from the Polytechnic of Ibadan with a degree in painting, and his work is largely influenced by Oluwole Omofemi, who trained and supervised him after graduation. Orezi ll, Orezi ll, Orezi ll, Orezi ll, Orezi ll 2018, Arnheim collection exhibition, 2019; Arnheim Collection ll, 2020; Emergence: Alexis galleries, 2021.
Chinedu Uzoma's canvas is also distinguished by impasto that is both rough and organized. Uzoma explores nostalgia, expectancy, and resilience through facial expressions in order to engage the audience with the emotional state of his subjects. Nostalgia, philosophy, and human anatomy are all constant sources of inspiration for Uzoma. He is a painting graduate of the Lagos State Polytechnic as well as a Universal Studios of Art product.
"In the last few years, it has become a tradition for us to begin each calendar year with a residence that fosters and guides young and emerging artists in Nigeria," says Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis, founder of Alexis Galleries. An art exhibition that promotes the works developed during the residence is usually held after the program."
The gallery is adopting Down syndrome as a non-governmental and not-for-profit organization to give back to the society, with sponsorship from Pepsi, Tiger, Indomie, Mikano, The Guardian, Wazobia TV, Cool FM, UPS, Haier Thermocool, Cobranet, Aina Blankson, Art Café, Lost In A City, Rentokii Boecker, and AMG Logistics.
