Kuta Arts Foundation warmly invites the public to the ongoing exhibition: Super Nature, organized by the vibrant art community, based in the heart of Abeokuta, Ogun State.

With an exhibition closing party scheduled for Saturday, August 31st, 2024, the organization successfully ushered in the show with a documentary film screening on the 5th of July at Nest by Kuta; No 13 Tegoe Street, Okelewo, Abeokuta, Ogun State, and an exhibition opening on the 6th of July at HSP Gallery, Totoro, Abeokuta, which will run till the end of August 2024.

Super Nature is a unique showcase celebrating the works of Cohort 1 & 2 fellows of Kuta Art Residency 2024. The exhibition features a diverse collection of art created over the course of 17 weeks by 10 artists who participated in the ‘rock city’ based studio and housing program for emerging & mid-career artists.

Super Nature is a vibrant expression of the extraordinary essence of our times. Amid the heightened pressures of living in a society challenged by changing climates—socio-political, economic, and environmental terrains—this exhibition is a testament to the optimism that flourishes in a community where camaraderie, sisterhood, and art-making thrive.

It embodies art as a language of resilience, praise, and prophecy.

This showcase is a joint presentation featuring works from 10 artists.

With batiks rooted in cultural dialogues, sculptures calling for solidarity, and wools touching on feminine agency, among others, this exhibition offers an intricate buffet of dialogues on issues that are a part of the fabric of what we know as life, provoking thoughts about the intricate bonds that connect women, cultures, society, and the world at large.

From Faith Omole’s bold manifesto on feminine consciousness through symbolism, Olaniyan Jadesola’s use of cool colours; nodding at nature and how we are defined by our environment, Itunu and diverse exploration of the strength of community and collective memory to Rebecca’s portrayal of the strong black woman and Priscilla’s subject of nostalgia from childhood to adolescence through portraitures made with textile and ink.

Peace and Obiwuru Esther‘s exploration of culture via fashion and music, and Ololade Lawal’s story of reconciliation with Abeokuta through acrylic following a prolonged disconnect after the loss of her only connection with the soil (her grandmother). Through their diverse practices, these artists evoke a profound reflection on the interconnectedness of our world and the super nature that permeates it.

Participating artists are Rebecca Akindunjoye, Priscilla Akinremi, Oluwaseyi Akinwumi, Chinecherem Peace Ifedilichukwu, Ololade Lawal, Obiwuru Esther, Omojadesola Olaniyan, Faith Omole, Itunuoluwapelumi Omotoso, and Onesa Oruoghor. See some of their artworks below:

 

Rebecca Akindunjoye
Hopeful 1
2024
Mixed-media
26 × 34 inches
Priscilla Akinremi
Tayo 2024
Textile Ink, Fabrics
and Yarn on Canvas
15.5 x 22 inches
Oluwaseyi Akinwumi
Torn between two brothers apart
2024
Charcoal, oil pastels, acrylic, ink and crocheted wool on linen
182 x 152cm
Chinecherem Peace Ifedilichukwu
Oil on my head
2024
Batik on canvas
152.4cm x 182.9 cm
Obiwuru Esther
Shekere (Beaded Gourd) 2024
Acrylic on canvas
29 x 36 inches
Jadesola Olaniyan
The Devoted One
(The Figurine) 2024
Oil pastels, acrylic on canvas,
22.7 x 14.7 inches
Faith Omole
‘Overthinking Steals
Too’ (The Other Self)
2024
Acrylic on canvas
61cm X 61cm
Itunu (Wires)
Omotoso
Where the bats roost.
2024
Metal (Upcycled Copper wires)
L- 98cm, W- 78cm, H- 49.5cm, (installation pieces vary in size)

Kuta Arts Foundation was founded by Benita Nnenna Nnachortam in 2016 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, and incorporated with co-founders Oluwakayode Adebiyi and Oluwaseun (Semic) Adeyemi in 2019. The foundation empowers young artists and cultural workers in Nigeria by fostering art education, creative expression, and community development.

Benita Nnachortam, Image shot by Eze Joshua in 2020 at Abeokuta, Nigeria

Through establishing safe spaces for learning, cultural exchange, and creative practice, Kuta is equipping youths to make social change and economic development through the arts thereby promoting value for indigenous craftsmanship, cultural heritage, and preservation.

Link to Tickets for the show: https://tix.africa/kuta

Visit kutartsfoundation.com for more information


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