Art_Africa_2016_02_

ARTAFRICA

In the ‘new world’ revealed in Amanze’s works, she creates alter egos to narrate several

of her experiences. The alien, Ada, was born during her practice in Nigeria between

2012 and 2013. There is also Adure the lion; Pidgin the bird (who personifies the popular

Pidgin English, a Nigerian derivative of Creole, spoken across Nigeria), strange plants,

a black-eyed pea constellation, a headless duo known as Twin and a merman. Each

otherworldly character embodies the triumphant conception of cultural hybridity; they

come out to play on paper in works like Cover ups for secret doors (not falling, rising down),

Midnight and loving Spy and We are fools not clowns.

Viewers witness how these alter egos – their hybrid skins brought to life through ink,

photo transfers, graphite, pencil and crayon – reveal what it means to live between and

within many countries, cultures, and languages.

Ogunji’s art spans between drawing and performance art; ‘Magic’ begins with a drawing

performance (in which both artists participate) that highlights the tensions and connections

that exist between human beings. While outlining their body movements on a white wall

with pencil, the artists affirm the body’s existence in public domain.

Ogunji’s drawings are done on architectural tracing paper on which she outlines her daily

interactions; mapping vibrations and frequencies that occur in a city (such as Lagos) that

she is trying to understand. Her characters, including Soundman the DJ and flocks of

blackbirds, distort time and reality as each subject merges with its surroundings.

All the material used by Ogunji plays a role in the final output of each work, including

the tracing paper – which facilitates her technique of drawing, mark making and

stitching. In one work, titled Three birds and created using thread, ink and graphite

trace paper, she is obviously trapped between Western and Yoruba fashion, wearing a

Gele (Yoruba head piece) and western clothes.

Also embedded in Ogunji’s work is evidence of objects that suggest travel or boundaries.

In works like River, a large-scale thread, ink and graphite drawing on paper, this is made

obvious by the fact that Ogunji’s practice sees her travelling regularly across the Atlantic

Ocean between Nigeria and America.

The real magic of ‘Magic’ is exposed through the simultaneous flattening of space and

the illusion of depth, which combines with Amanze and Ogunji’s surreal visual narration

• breaking step with the so-called natural order and offering new possibilities.

Obidike Okafor is a content consultant, arts and culture journalist and budding

documentary filmmaker based in Lagos, Nigeria.

‘Magic’ ran from 3 - 24 October 2015 at Omenka Gallery, Lagos.

REVIEWS

MAGIC / OBIDIKE OKAFOR 3/3 ARTAFRICA