If you’ve been searching for an art space and exhibition, here’s is an opportunity to check this new one out. Dedicated to establishing a solid art network, Failed State jumpstarted our year with collaborative exhibition, Shadows and Selves featuring 20 paintings from 4 visual artists, Nwakuso Edozien, Timilehin Oludare, Laja and Ronke Komolafe. Each artist’s work intends to captivate the nuances of the shared human imagination that are rooted in memory, desire, connection, emotions, pain, joy, grief, bliss, beliefs, and dreams. The exhibition seeks to answer these questions: What does it mean to be part of a collective? How do our individual actions shape the lives of those around us? Do we have free will or are we simply a projection of the groups we identify with? Can we figure out who we are even in the midst of our diverse experiences, emotions and thoughts? Do we have the power to shape our destinies?
The artists have contributed to the discourse about collective coexistence throughout history. They have appreciated it through the use of figurative portraiture, abstraction and surrealism. Relating to themes of self-identity, communal survival and the crisis of individualism, this exhibition explores the visual contrast between light and shadow, presence and absence, real and surreal, individual and collective.
PICTURE
As we continue to dive deeper into the year, which seems to move slowly, giving us enough time to savour art and let them contribute to the growth of our community. Come with us to explore Shadow & Selves, which seeks to explore the conflict between individual and collective interests. As a launching ceremony, they aim to explore the importance of collective survival and community while also remembering to highlight the issues that each of us struggle with as individuals.
“The shadow, or unconscious self is a term coined by Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung. The self as a psychological concept, is a force that dwells within the seen world and the unseen world (our minds). The self is the version of our lived experience that we claim. The shadow self, however, is the version we are less familiar with. As a result, we find ourselves living a life of duality. We are split down the middle and at odds with our own existence. In plurality, the exhibition, Shadows & Selves, aims to explore the shared image of humanity as a subject. It asks us to question our role as individuals in shaping experiences that are universal at thier core.”
Artist Bio
Nwakuso (b. 1996) is a multicultural artist who draws inspiration from various disciplines. She has a degree in Architecture from Cornell University and uses her art to represent the concept and creation of cultural identity.
Owing to her architectural background, Nwakuso utilizes linework and 3D textures to enhance the depth and complexities of her work. Her art reflects her diverse upbringing and changing environments as she has lived and schooled in Nigeria, Germany, England, Wales, and the US and is of Nigerian and German heritage. Through painting, design, and sculpture, she creates multilayered artworks which pay homage to her Nigerian roots. Her work, in turn, aids her along her journey of self discovery and belonging. During her time at United World College of the Atlantic, her work was presented to HRH, Queen Elizabeth II of England. Her works have also been exhibited at the Presidential Dinner for the Creative Industry, in Lagos in 2014.
Artist Bio
Ibironke Komolafe (b. 1993) professionally known as Ronke Komos is a Nigerian visual artist and amateur photographer. She is a self taught artist who currently lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria. She schooled at Babcock University and earned a B.Sc in Computer Science.
Her art journey began when she was just a child, out of sheer passion, but became a career in 2012. Her artistic inspiration has its roots in the hyperrealism drawing style with an infusion of mixed media. She tries to capture and relate the beauty of human emotions, drawing portraits and bringing them to life with charcoal, paint and fabric. Very recently, she has infused painting in her art style and uses the ‘acrylic paint pour’ technique to express her love of colours.She considers her practice to be an exposé on emotional activism― subjecting her works to bring out real and unrehearsed emotional expressions as opposed to what is regarded as “normal” and “acceptable.”
She had her first group exhibition titled, “Beautiful: The Exposition” held at Kongi’s Harvest Art Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos in 2019 and was curated by Kennii Ekundayo.Ronke Komos exhibited her paint pour works for the first time in 2021 in a pop up show alongside Yadichinma Ukoha-Kalu organised by JCAA Lagos.
Artist Bio
Timilehin Oludare (b. 2002) is an experimental surrealist artist born in Ibadan, Nigeria. For him, art has always been a medium for expressing his day to day experiences in Nigeria, He has made several art works based on his feelings, reflections, observations, and curiosities. He experiments with different media developing a mixed media practice. He also tends to experiment with materials, shapes, and colour. He uses these elements to portray the emotions and the tensions that he is trying to visualize.
Osanyintolu Oludare Timilehin has had the opportunity to showcase his works at Boomer Art Gallery in London, Nomascape Chicago and so on. He launched “WETIN DEY COOk”, a curatorial project by Lynhan Balatbat- Helbock at G.A.S. Foundation as the first artist to cook a meal and share his works in an intimate gathering. His second show in Lagos was a celebration of one series of his works at 16by16 curated by Tushar Hathiramani, a celebration of him, his works and the influence in his creation, he has of recent exhibited in more spaces in Lagos such as; Enagage Space, AWCA, and Tribe X.
Artist Bio
Laja (oladotun oshilaja b. 1997) is a Nigerian artist based in Lagos. After having studied the fine arts in both the Yaba College of Technology and the University of Lagos, he chose to follow his unique artistic voice.
His practice extends through abstraction towards expressive figuration. He uses visual metaphors to investigate ideas on existential philosophy, identity and sometimes the mare exploration of form, color and line. Laja has had two solo exhibitions and several group shows in the city of Lagos.
About ‘Failed State’
‘Failed State’ is a collective focused on creative collaboration among artists and creatives working within and for diasporic, immigrant and peripheral communities. Put plainly, the creative goal of ‘Failed State’ is to establish a network of creatives that collaborate beyond the restrictions of borders and ideologies and to enable the emergence of unique political identities. Founded by Jadesola Olaniyan in 2022, The collective seeks to interact with the concept of identity, borders, boundaries, walls, bridges and nation-states as core focuses in our work. Our goal is to cultivate a focus on global solidarity and transnationalism among our members and collaborators.
