Business Day (Nigeria)

Nwadiogbu’s works on Contempore­alism on display in London Art Gallery

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For ken nwadiog bu, it promises to beat rip some distance from the shore in the last quarter of the year. Though not on a refugee push on the Mediterran­ean, but on a transatlan­tic voyage to showcase 25 hyper realistic works.

From October 3 – 6, 2019 the artist will be at the Brick Lane Gallery, East London to present Contempore­alism, an exhibition featuring over 25 original works of charcoal and acrylic on canvas. The exhibition hallmarks his first limited edition print release. It is also the first solo exhibition by the fast rising Nigerian artist.

Through his works, Nwadiogbu documents, evaluates, interrogat­es and challenges socio-political structures and issues with the aim of giving a voice to the voiceless –speaking on behalf of those who cannot be heard.

As a result of his art activism, he creates realistic imagery and employs elements of contempora­ry art to create illusion of form and space to tackle these issues, which he sees and experience­s in his home country, Nigeria.

Working primarily with charcoal, acrylic and collage, his body of works triggers an intense emotional connection with viewers.

Conceptual­ized by his desire to create social change, he debuts new body of work in Contempore­alism and re-enforces the ills within the African society, while inviting viewers to ponder and question commonly accepted socio-political norms and structures.

Speaking on the show, Nwadiogbu said: “For me this show is to introduce my pioneered style Contempore­alism, and present over five years of art practice. The viewers can hope to encounter rush es of emotions sparked by the storytelli­ng in each piece.”

By creating hyper realistic drawings that address African issues, the artist is able to firmly situate and make more visible Africans and even those in diaspora, within the context of broader issues affecting their day-to-day lives. Through each work, he engages with his viewers while changing narratives one piece at a time.

The 25-year-old Ken Nwadiogbu, who is popularly known as Kenart, is equally a Nigerian multi disciplina­ry artist and the inventor of‘ Con tempo realism ’– a fusion that is primarily centered on hyperreali­sm and contempora­ry art.

Motivated by his desire to change his society and the way people think, his art also explores nagging issues like gender equality, African cultures, and Black power. These are a few aspects of his current research and artistic practice.

Ken nwadiogb uh as featured in local and internatio­nal group exhibition­s and fairs including Art X, Insanity, It’s not Furniture, Finding your Identity, Artyrama Art Exhibition, Empowermen­t Exhibition, Generation Y, Moniker Art Fair, Afriuture, LAX-SFO, In the Making, LAX-MSY among others. He will present his work at a solo booth in Moniker Art Fair on October 2, 2019 at the Moniker art fair in chelsea west London, while VIP press, collectors preview and print release will hold on October3, 2019 by 8:30pm.

Some of the artworks to be paraded at the high-end exhibition included: Thy Brother is Not Thy Brother, Charcoal on paper, 2017, There was a voice 2019, Charcoal and Acrylic on Canvas, Victory Lap 2019 among others.

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