By Pauline Odhiambo
Many of us spend our entire lives in the same bubble, surrounding ourselves with people who share the same beliefs, and never leaving the familiarity of our cocooned existence.
But inevitably, the foundation of our reality is shaken hard enough to pop the bubble, and we are suddenly pushed to new dimensions – letting go of all the situations holding us back from discovering better versions of ourselves.
Perhaps no one knows this better than Nigerian contemporary artist Olamide Ogunade whose art is founded on the concept of bubbles and new beginnings.
“My art documents memories and is intended to create a conversation with the viewer and remind them of their survival through lived experiences,” Olamide tells TRT Afrika. “Without our memories, we are empty.”
Reflections of the past
An introverted artist, Olamide often finds himself reflecting on his own past experiences. Pivotal among these memories is his father’s long illness and eventual death which, to date, partly informs his signature style.
“My father was sick from 2011 to 2018. Watching my mum cry every night for her husband for seven years was very challenging,” the artist recalls. “Throughout that time, I kept doing exams and failing, but the same year my dad passed away turned out to be the same year I got admission to college.”
Months later, while watching children at play, Olamide was again struck by the sheer significance of those two moments.
“The children were blowing bubbles into the air, and something about how the bubbles were rising and popping took me back to those final moments with my dad which also marked a new beginning for me,” recalls Olamide who is an art student at Yaba Technical College in Lagos.
“It was a reminder that human beings are faced with temporal situations which can disappear just as suddenly as they appear.”
Bubble art
That moment inspired him to make the bold switch from hyperrealist pencil art to contemporary painting, creating art that is always marked with a bubble signature And just like the rise of bubbles, Olamide’s art rose as well.
This switching of styles served in catapulting his art to greater international heights, showcasing in different parts of the world, including South Africa and Germany. Some of Olamide’s painting have been auctioned for thousands of dollars.
“Coming from a time when many artists were doing hyperrealism, I felt the need to make a statement with my art, and create a name for myself,” the 28-year old who is also known by his moniker ‘Olisco’ states.
“Experiencing growth in different aspects of life changed my mindset which in turn changed my art.” He adds: “Olisco is an acronym for ‘Our Little Idea Shall Conquer Obstacles.”
‘Not alone’
One of his pieces titled ‘Gentleman by the River’ speaks to the awareness of companionship even in moments of solitude and introspection.
“There are times when a person may find themselves questioning their purpose on earth. This can be an isolating feeling which can be diminished by becoming aware of our immediate surroundings,” Olamide explains. “Focusing on what we can see or touch can remind us that we are not alone.”
In this particular painting the subject is seen holding a yellow flower while a river flows in the background.
“The river is like emotion. The nostalgia, the anticipation and the anxiety to meet a companion or someone to be with flows just like the river in the background of life,” Olamide says.
Art activism
In addition to being inspired by real life characters, Olamide is often gets inspiration from images he sees on social media.
One of his paintings, ‘The Awakening’ was inspired by the 2020 ‘End SARS’ mass protests in Nigeria against police brutality.
“The female subject in this particular painting has symbols drawn on her neck which represent the requests of the citizens to a government that refuses to listen to the cries of the youth,” he explains.
“But even while being brutalized, the youth still spoke up and the world listened.”
His advice to aspiring artists interested in activism, Olamide says:
“Have passion, trust, patience and persistence, and then add prayer. There is a spirit being in all human being that correlates with our efforts, including art.”
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