Abe Odedina: Under The Influence

February 15 - March 12, 2022

Overview

"My paintings are a form of artistic veneration, occasionally depicting the Yoruba gods but more often exploring the effects of their influence in the daily lives of humans."

Under The Influence will present a suite of eight paintings — both portraits and still lifes. Painting on plywood board rather than canvas, Odedina’s compositions embody all the solidity — and practicality — of shop fronts or municipal murals. He offers us a vivid palette with a formal nod to Renaissance portraiture. His figural paintings are highly legible allegorical vernacular. Inspired by the rich figurative and oral traditions of African art, infused with a trace of magical realism, his practice seeks to revive and deconstruct quintessential classical themes spanning from ancient Greek to Yoruba mythologies to create a charged dialogue between epochs, cultures, and peoples.