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Saturday 1 October 2022

Chibuzo's 'Portraits of Emotion', Muse's 'Nature Sensation' on display at Signature Beyond

'Time Value' (oil on canvas, 61 X 92 cm, dated 2021), by Nojeem Muse.

Aguh Chibuzo's 'Hopeful' (oil on board, 20 x 16, dated 2022).


TWO solo art exhibitions of Aguh Chibuzo and Nojeem Muse, respectively, in a single space, assert the boldness of Signature Beyond Art Gallery in expanding its competitive edge on the Lagos art scene.

Last year, Signature Beyond Art Gallery showed two solo exhibitions of Oladele Ogbeyemi's exhibition of welded-metal titled Ark Meta Art and Bright Ibiok's paintings themed Talkless Talk.

For the gallery's new exhibitions, Muse is showing Nature Sensation while Aguh Chibuzo exhibits Portraits of Emotion, as the two solos open on October 1, 2022 at Signature Beyond Art Gallery, 107, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. 

Muse is bringing into his solo exhibition a background of having studied painting at the Federal College of Education, Akoka, Yaba Lagos. In addition, the artist's passion for capturing live sceneries earned him a foundational membership of Society of Nigerian Plein Air painters. 

For Chibuzo, his NCE training at the Fine and Applied Arts Education Department of the School of Science and Vocational Teaching Education, IMT Enugu, is a pedestal on which he has built his skills in cubism form. His art of figurative form brings freshness into celebration of everyday people, across cadres of society.

The two  solo art exhibitions, according to Signature Beyond, feature over 39 pieces of works with Chibuzo showing 22 works in his Portraits of Emotion while Muse exhibits 17 in Nature Sensation. The two solo shows are being shown under what the gallery stated as 'Modern and Contemporary African Art Exhibitions'.

Flaunting his skills in impressionism, Muse applies bold palette movements to celebrate the beauty of nature in landscapes and streetscapes. Even when his work, for example, depicts a ruined environment, the artist's style in impasto textures creates a depth of communication skills in visual culture. Among the artist's assets in painting skills is his rendition of poetic skyline in narrative mood with the landscapes.

The artist boasted of his "world of impasto reality," and described his style as a "walk through." In appreciation context, Muse stated how he has created some "impression" on the psyche of lovers of his art. Some of his his works for the exhibition include Time Value (oil on canvas, 61 X 92 cm, dated 2021); Orange Set Out (oil on canvas, 61x 92 cm, 2021); and Rural Estate (oil on canvas, 91 x 61 cm, 2021).

In his brief review of Chibuzo's work, Dr Obiora Anidi  wrote: "In his current outing, the simplicity and sophistry with which he rendered the 'Hopeful' and the 'Visionary' are not only disarming but salutary. In keeping with the central theme of his current outing, they represent a clear burst of emotions." 

Some of Chibuzo's works for the exhibition include Andy Young (acrylic on board, 20in x 16in, dated 2022); Yes, I Am Fine Thank You (oil on board, 20 x  16 in, 2022) ; and Desire-3 (oil on board, 20 x 16in, 2022).

"In the mid-1990s, I encountered Chibuzo and his paintings – as my student. Certain qualities stand out significantly in his works – his apt draughtsmanship; subtle, rich pallet; sweet choice of hues, always soothing," Dr. Anidi added.

Another scholar, Ire Ogueche. KSJI wrote about Chibuzo's career: "Today, as he is poised to exhibit yet another set of works, in a solo, I see in the works as reflections of my tutelage. Portraits of Emotion, Wise Up, and Soloist all have the insignia of knifing, cubism, and African contextual backgrounds," Ogueche of Head of Department, Fine and Applied Art Education, Enugu State College of Education(Technical), Enugu, stated.

Art Symposium, Faridah Muslim school, Awoyaya Lagos; Bar-Beach Colour splash, Bar-Beach ( Outdoor painting event ), 2012; Think-Eat-Save, Unilag waterfront (Outdoor painting event), 2014; Paint Out Lagos Island, Tinubu Square (Outdoor painting event), 2014; Paint Out Lagos Island ,Tafa Balewa Square (Outdoor painting event), 2015; and a solo exhibition titled Black History Month at Nimbus Gallery, Ikoyi Lagos 2015 are some of Muse's art events experience.

Art shows such as Best of IMT @ Castle down art center (V.I) Lagos, 2001; Current Experiment in keeping with Tradition (IMT) Exhibition, 2003; Salt Of The Earth, Alliance Française Enugu, 2004; Enhancing Our Image, Alliance Française Enugu, 2005; International Women’s Day Exhibition, Islington England, 2005; Akuna Matata Africa, BBC Exhibition London, 2005; Years Of Innocence (2-man Show), Alliance Française Enugu, 2005; and Kisses From My Street (Solo Drawing Exhibition), Maison de France Lagos, 2005 were some of the events that Chibuzo had participated.

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