Yinka Olatunbosun
Beyond Limit, a group exhibition showcasing a wide array of ceramic works in Nigeria kicked off recently at the Quintessence Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos. The show, curated by Mathew Oyedele, features works across diverse themes and subjects by Adéòtí Azeez Afeez, Àkànní Kehinde, Asuni Wasiu, Ato Arinze, Chris Ekuafeh, Djakou Kassi Nathalie, Idemudia Mercy Itohan, Olubunmi Atere and Samuel Abidemi.
The second of its kind, Beyond Limit shatters the stereotypical content of art shows in Lagos, presenting ceramic works as authentic art forms and not just articles of ornamental expressions. Initiated in 2022, the show beams light on ceramic works which are largely underrepresented.
At the show, Adéòtí Azeez Afeez presents a vase with the graffito drawing of his mother. Whilst exploring clay to connect subject and medium, he sought to position women and earth as sources of life. Movement, nostalgia and memories are central to Olúbùnmi Atéré’s work. Using patterns and engravings, she offers commentaries on societal values and memories as they affect individual and collective consciousness. Àkànní Kehinde’s pieces are inundated with motifs and patterns from Yorùbá culture. His work seeks to elicit social consciousness with Yorùbá values, ethics and morals.
On his part, Samuel Abidemi’s focus is on the human capacity to create wealth, independence and adventures. In Chris Ekuafeh’s works, survival and comfort are subject matters. His use of engraved abstract faces on his pieces heightens his human centered narratives. Asuni Wasiu’s delicate engraving and scribbles are combined with bronze in his commentary on competition, rescue mission and wealth. Idemudia Mercy Itohan combines process with subject as she emphasizes on the conscious patience needed to create ceramic pieces in her work. Her Edo background also provides a useful framework to her subjects. With closed eyes and a colourful glaze, Djakou Kassi Nathalie’s piece invites the viewer into an introspective mode while Ato Arinze’s Untitled (2022) piece shows his exploration of glazes as against his signature smooth finishing technique.
According to Tobenna Okwuosa, an Associate Professor, Niger Delta University, Ato Arinze’s piece is “a glazed ceramic work that expresses brutality and abuse through its carelessly applied glaze of different shades of brown, blue and green. The lacerations and bullet holes on the body of the ware reinforce the concepts of brutality and abuse.”
While reflecting on the show which runs till May 20, the curator says: “From the established artists to the emerging artists, these pieces have been carefully selected to present ceramics as a genre that is not only without limits but also filled with critical theories that strengthen their value.”
