O’DA Art Gallery presents, Within our Midst, a duo exhibition featuring visual artists, Michael Igwe and Paul Majek. Drawing inspiration from Nigerian traditional and contemporary themes, this exhibition explores the potential of art as a powerful form of revelation in connecting generational dialogues and spirituality, whilst questioning how often we reflect on socio-cultural standards, beliefs and normalities.
Michael Igwe’s work uses symbolism and process to bring to light the fluidity and expanse of inner life. Inspired by Iko-Nke Annang, the art of storytelling in his traditional Akwa-Ibom dialect, Igwe's creative process is fundamental to his practice where he condenses moments and experiences into his paintings, drawing from both personal encounters and his keen observation of people. In Death of Ego (2024), he speaks to socio-cultural instances of superiority from a literal sense and a need for situational awareness in society. The concealed nature of his figures, which is achieved through multiple layers of acrylic on the surface of the canvas, prompts the viewers to embark on parallel journeys of interpretation while presenting themes that will allow for self reflection.
At the same time, his figures command and reclaim space. Rendered in hues of dark browns and Beige, often likened to a sense of strength, There is an eerie confrontation between the obscure silhouetted figures and the viewer, one which can seem familiar and daunting. In Your Voice has Changed (2024), there is an engagement that seeks to question our social norms on our quickness to change under specific circumstances. In another sense, the fluid oscillation between the figure and the painting is a call to mediation on form and subjectivity.
Similarly, Paul Majek’s paintings form part of an ongoing exploration into the cultural overlappings of his Yoruba and British heritage. Combining painted surfaces with video, sculptural, found or appropriated elements, sited in domestic interiors, Majek uses a blue-hued lucid visual language to make visible what he calls “Ancestral shadow figures in liminal spaces”. Process is essential to his practice. He paints oil, acrylic and charcoal on plywood panels to create the grainy materiality that renders the surface soft and easy to permeate. In particular pieces, especially in Earth (2022) & Through the Leaves (2022), he translates the essence of the figures with transparency which is accentuated by the natural wavy-effect of the wood in an effort to question concealment and its relation to honesty, and truth. For Majek, a need to highlight realities that are unknown from his Nigerian cultural heritage gives birth to a middle ground for release in his work; a “permeable passageway” between the subconscious and conscious where familial spaces, people and time collapse into one. As his wooden panels are a breaking ground for reimagined histories, Majek approaches the archive as a way to link memory, love, generational dialogue, and spirituality. Just like Igwe’s body of work, we are expected to exist, question and participate in the Midst of each work.
Through their distinctive styles, Igwe and Majek beckon viewers to delve into the complexities of societal norms, and cultural identity in our immediate environments. Beyond mere observation, the exhibition encourages introspection, challenging us to reflect on the socio-cultural constructs that shape our perceptions and understanding. As we navigate through the hazy yet evocative imagery presented by these talented artists, we are reminded of the power of art to provoke thought, foster dialogue, and celebrate the richness of human experience.
