Yinka Olatunbosun
Emma Odumade created a little suspense with his delayed entrance into the exhibition hall at the African Artists Foundation (AAF), Victoria Island, Lagos. At 21, Odumade’s shyness is a façade above the depth of his creative energy. In this debut solo exhibition titled ‘Made in Lagos: Green and Blue,’ he presents his body of works as a mirror to the society with his revisionist view of histo-cultural narratives.
Born and raised in Lagos, Odumade began to manifest artist strengths at a very young age with drawings, comics, cartoons and collages. For him, the pencil is a weapon for activism, as well as a channel through which he can connect personal stories and experiences.
As a careful observer, he had painted a series of archetypal characters-mostly children to tell stories behind their everyday lives. The undergraduate of Botany at the University of Lagos explained why children are predominant subjects in his works.
“I use children a lot in my work because they represent new beginning,’’ he said. While painting with acrylic and black tea, his piece titled ‘Like Mother, Like Daughter’ offers an insight into street trading- a cultural phenomenon that has transcended generations. The multi-media work titled ‘A New World’ is also a commentary on the use of masks in the period of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I am also documenting this culture, this way of life now. We will die one day and this present culture will change because change is constant. The way people lived in the 1960s is not the same as it is now so I am documenting now so that in 100 years and other years to come people can perceive and see our way of life,’’ he said.
The artist who participated in an art fair in London revealed that the 25 pieces in this show are motivated by what he had seen. The theme for the show was derived from the shortened form of the artist’s surname, Odumade and it is indeed a pun because all the works are inspired by Lagos and created in Lagos.
When asked if there are moments of intersection between his study of botany and his art, he agreed that there is, citing an example.
“Inside our bodies, we have connections-with the veins. With my knowledge of botany, I am trying to represent the things that are not visible to the human eye like the vein. I am using the veination of the plant to create a reality for us to see. I am also letting you feel it,’’ he said. The show which opened on December 11 runs till January 16, 2022.
