6 artists for Rele Foundation’s Young Contemporaries Exhibition
Six artists have been selected for Rele Arts Foundation’s fourth Young Contemporaries Exhibition at Rele Gallery which opened on January 13. They are, Stephen Tayo, 24, Tonia Nneji, 26, Osaze Amasadun, 24, Fidelis Joseph, 29, Osaru Obaseki, 25 and Abraham Ogundele, 27. Tayo is presenting a series titled ‘Ibeji’, which explores the psychological impact of […]
The six artists exhibiting at Rele Gallery between January 13 and March 3, 2019
Six artists have been selected for Rele Arts Foundation’s fourth Young Contemporaries Exhibition at Rele Gallery which opened on January 13. They are, Stephen Tayo, 24, Tonia Nneji, 26, Osaze Amasadun, 24, Fidelis Joseph, 29, Osaru Obaseki, 25 and Abraham Ogundele, 27.
Tayo is presenting a series titled ‘Ibeji’, which explores the psychological impact of having to share kinship with and having one’s identity defined by another. Stephen studied philosophy at the University of Lagos. He captures intimate portraits that reveal the sartorial flair and quiet dignity of his sitters. He is interested in urban style and youth culture.
A painter, Nneji, in ‘Six Days of Holding’ uses her experience as a female living with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) to express the trauma living with the ordeal which is often hidden beneath superficial layers. An indigene of Imo State, she was born into a line of traditional carvers and masquerade carriers. Following the family tradition of artistry, she graduated with a B.A (Hons) in Visual Arts from the University of Lagos, Nigeria in 2016. Her work is currently moving towards expressionism and is easily identified by her use of bold colours.
Amasadun illustrates in ‘Once Upon A King’, works reminiscent of the ancient Benin Kingdom. He depicts and reinterprets significant events that occurred during the reign of Oba Esigie, 1504 to 1550. His artistic mediums cut across drawing, painting, illustration and graphic design. He first trained as an architect graduating with a BSc. in Architecture in 2014 and went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Environmental Design in 2016, both from the University of Lagos.
In abstract paintings, Joseph introduces ‘The Spirit of Salkur’ as a way of interrogating the metaphysical realm. From Adamawa state, he first studied painting and graphics at the Department of Fine and Applied Art at The Federal College of Education, Yola where he received an NCE Certificate in 2012. In 2017, he obtained a B.A Fine Arts Degree from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria where he majored in painting.
Obaseki, a mixed media artist, uses a combination of sand and acrylic as a way of synergizing two different civilizations, the ancient and the modern, to address how the environment affects the human mind and individual personalities. A graduate of University of Port Harcourt, she is a self-taught visual artist from Edo State. In September 2017, Osaru joined the Nosona studios under the Edo global center platform where she gained the opportunity and resources to experiment with newer techniques and mediums.
A painter, Ogundele, uses colour composed dots to present ‘A Wonderful Space’: a light-hearted journey, reflecting on shared experiences, pop culture and cross generational themes. A self-taught artist, Ogundele was born into a family of creatives and thus art became a natural progression. Graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management in 2013 and MBA degree in Marketing in 2007, both from the Philadelphia University, Ogundele began to pursue art professionally in 2014.
Created in 2016 to provide a critical and engaging platform for a new generation of emerging artistic talent in Nigeria, the Young Contemporaries program has since its inception provided the enabling environment for young artists to be part of the evolving discourse on cutting-edge artistic practice, art and social activism as well as critical issues that impact the immediate Nigerian/African and global contexts. For Young Contemporaries 2019, the six young artists working in diverse mediums with varying degrees of skills and techniques have been selected and highlighted as artists to watch out for in 2019. They explore themes that cut across history, heritage, trauma and identity.
The exhibition is open until March 3