Jumoke’s Technical Precision and Visual Depth in Crying Fire
“Crying Fire” highlights red tear streaks against the charcoal-black face
Okechukwu Uwaezuoke
Jumoke Muritala works with one of the most demanding surfaces in visual art: the human face. In Crying Fire, she demonstrates strong technical control, using skin as canvas to translate history into a bold visual statement.
Muritala is a Nigerian-born, UK-based visual artist and art educator whose practice focuses on identity, community, and visual storytelling. Her use of face art sets her apart, requiring precision in colour placement and form, as the face curves, shifts, and reflects light in ways traditional canvas does not.
In this work, a charcoal-black face confronts the viewer, steady and composed. From the eyes, red streaks fall downward, immediately drawing attention. The image is striking because it is direct. Muritala avoids visual clutter, allowing colour to carry the story.
The black pigment follows the natural planes of the face without flattening its features, while the red lines are carefully placed to guide the eye and hold the composition together. This level of control points to preparation. Muritala develops her ideas on canvas before moving to skin, refining balance and placement until the image feels settled.
Crying Fire honours the young girls who lost their lives in the Colne Bridge Mill fire and reflects on how their story later helped spark discussions about protecting young factory workers. Rather than reenact the event, Muritala renders it through concentrated visual expression. The dark surface recalls factory interiors, while the red streaks suggest endurance and social change.
What sets this work apart is intention. Muritala does not decorate the face. She uses it as a site for memory. The result is focused and purposeful.
With Crying Fire, Muritala continues to build a distinctive visual language, advancing face art beyond spectacle into thoughtful contemporary expression. The work stands as a confident example of how an uncommon medium can carry history with clarity and strength.
