Awusa, Nzekwe In Different Strokes at Terra Kulture

Gab Awusa's Habbitat, 120x150cm

Currently showing till Monday, June 26 at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos, the two-artists exhibition titled Different Strokes bring Gab Awusa and Philips Nzekwe in exposing the beautiful side of their immediate environments.

  In paintings and sculptures, the artists narrate a general richness of tropical West Africa, particularly the Niger Delta.


Artists Statements:
"My works stem from my desire for the promulgation of images from my world
of Utopia. They are inverted narratives of complicated stories simplified to create aesthetic appeal. My art is an integral part of my life, and life in the 21st century is about freedom. I freely manipulate available materials to invert the story of my people who lived in a land of tropical splendour, home of prominent merchant princes, a territory of then oil river protectorate and heartbeat of the Royal Niger Company- Now called the Niger Delta. This once prestigious landscape continue to diminish; fresh water streams which flows through its veins have been polluted, elegant palm trees that once powered the economy has been replaced by oil rigs emitting smoke of marginalization and abuse of human Rights, consequently preventing the sun from shinning. The tropical paradise has become a land of gloom, with dissatisfaction and despair saturating the air, causing the people to agitate for self-determination through secession.


 "My recent body of works "Crush" explores the narrative of unexpressed feelings and emotions using the African child in a background of beauty and blossom as a metaphor. A beautiful, colourful and peaceful environment free from pollution is attainable if the beauty of one's country and its cultural diversity outshines the cloud of greed, overexploitation and marginalisation."


Phillips Nzekwe Akademik studios of Art, Asaba, Nigeria.
  

Phillips Nzekwe, Crush1, 2017 Bronze 35cm height

"Divinity as a subject interest me a lot and consequently triggered my quest to study theology to satisfy for knowledge of the universe and its creation, even after art school.
"The impact of that experience is what control and inspires my art pieces. My subjects and themes are drawn from nature and the female body. In nature and woman Gods omnipotence is flaunted. The splendour and harmony of colours displayed by the trees, birds and other animals, Rocky Mountains and rivers of waters are ready made materials for my compositions.
"Nature speaks to me and what I hear I interpret in paintings and drawings. In the same vein the female figure is the symbol and strength of the family, continuity, and the survival of humanity rest squarely on her shoulder. Without her the divine mandate to mankind to be fruitful and multiply will not be fulfilled. There is more to this complex human being called woman than her physical attributes.
"My subjects and composition are quite simple and beautiful and straight to the point. My preference for brilliant palette, simple subjects and themes has deep consideration and meditation. For example the yellow of varying hue and value; the greens and orange splashes are well thought out and symbolic- typology of certain aspects of divinity."


Gabriel Awusa. Lagos, Nigeria.