By Pauline Odhiambo
The French visual artist Henri Matise famously said that creativity takes courage. This is true for Nigerian painter Oluwadare Kolawole Samson who fearlessly faces change in his own artistic expression.
Oluwadare has mastered the art of maneuvering stylistic motifs, often imbuing elements in nature to enhance his creativity and artistic evolution.
“Repeating the same style in art can be boring, especially for art enthusiasts who are keen on diversity,” the contemporary figurative realist artist tells TRT Afrika.
“Tiring audiences with the same style is detrimental to artistic growth.”
Figurative art encompasses any form of modern art that retains strong references to the real world and particularly to the human figure.
Flower motifs
Looking at Oluwadare’s art, his fondness for realistic flower motifs is evident.
Colourful petals blooms the background in many of his paintings. “I really love flowers,” the 34-year old enthuses. “I experimented with floral images for a while before switching it up again and trying something different.”
“But even while working with the flower images, I made sure to tweak their appearance, and played around with different colours just to keep things interesting and fresh,” he adds.
Certain elements of his Yoruba culture also feature in his art.
The subjects in his oil and acrylic paintings are depicted in rich, dark skin tones to reflect African heritage.
Tribal marks
One of his paintings titled, ‘All about Beauty’ shows a woman wearing an elaborate, crown-like hairstyle. Though she appears youthful, her riveting gaze reveals and old soul belying her years.
On the woman’s cheeks are two distinctive marks which take nothing away from her captivating beauty.
“Many women where I grew up in Ibadan have these facial marks, which are part of the cultural expression and also serve to distinguish diverse cultures,” the Ondo State native explains.
According to the research platform JSTOR, deep cuts, usually on both cheeks or on the forehead, were carved on children by families and communities, mostly as a mark of identity.
“Each tribal mark is distinct and points out the wearer's ethnic affiliation, hometown, family and lineage,” Oluwadare.
But the custom faded when a 2003 federal law termed it ‘mutilation’ and banned the practice.
The current bearers of facial marks are the last generation – prompting artist like Oluwadare to re-envision the practice in paintings.
Black beauty
Not unlike other painters, Oluwadare prefers a female muse.
“Women are an essential part of our existence. They literally give life by their capability to carry life in their wombs for nine months, and that alone make them quite special,” the artist enthuses.
Incidentally, Oluwadare’s painting titled, ‘The Untamed Mother’ shows a wizened-looking woman whose hairstyle and stance resemble the famous Tree of Life symbol that various cultures worldwide have incorporated into their arts and culture.
Several of his other paintings including ‘The Jamilah’ and ‘Goal Getter’ have themes that celebrate the unique characteristics of African women.
“The main purpose of my work is to promote the black beauty of African women through their hairstyles and their lifestyles,” the figurative realist explains.
“My art sends a message of encouragement by highlight African women’s fashion and other aspects of their social lives.”
Colonial exploitation
Some of Oluwadare’s paintings discuss racial matters. It takes him about two weeks to complete each of his paintings.
His piece titled ‘Love Cares Less’ portrays the bonds of love between people.
“There's nothing like racism in love,’’ he says, adding ‘’we're meant to love each other, no matter what. So, stop racism, true love doesn't care about that.”
In another piece titled, ‘The Golden Blubber’, a man is seen with a mesh of thick scars on his bare back.
“This piece is inspired by history of slavery where Black people were exploited under colonial rule,” Oluwadare tells TRT Afrika. “That kind of suffering is unforgettable even for the majority of us born in postcolonial times.”
Consistent art
The painting sold immediately Oluwadare posted it on his social platforms. More of his paintings have sold for thousands of dollars in the international market.
“A friend who is also an artist advised me not to sell it, but at the time, I needed the money to reinvest in my art,” he recalls.
“I actually regret selling it, and for a while, I thought about painting another one just like it but it is not something to easily duplicate.”
But that didn’t deter him from consistently deriving joy in his art.
“I am happiest when I am painting. I genuinely love what I do and that alone keeps me going especially when I am facing different challenges,” says the artist who has been painting professionally for 10 years.
“I am humbled to be in a positon to share my perspective with the rest of the world.”
His advice to aspiring artists: “There’s really no magic to it, just keep doing it” he says. “It may sound cliché, but consistency is really key.”
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