akanimoh umoh raji mohammed ssamuel...

AKANIMOH UMOHRAJI MOHAMMEDSAMUEL AJOBIEWE

Sepia

Catalogue for an exhibition of drawing titled

SEPIA

Sunday 2nd - Friday 14th September 2018

at

74A Norman Williams CrescentSouth West. Ikoyi.Lagos, Nigeria.

Tel: +234 (0)90 90 91 57 44 +234 (0)90 90 91 57 50

.

Contributor - Odun Orimolade

Photography - Olusegun AdejumoDesign Layout & Print - Adewolu Kazeem

© All rights reserved 2018

www.onedrawgallery.com

The decision to explore or hone academic and literal

forms of representation still nds a place in the autonomy

of creative practice and expression. This is in cognisance of

the breadth of drawing beyond the "much derided

academic skills or literal forms of representation"

(Petherbridge 2014:7) and the meandering possibilities

within an all expansive medium. The value and

characteristics of drawing in itself that proffers a non

denitive state, structure or relation with contexts of

practice permits its freedom to be what it may. It gets to

stand autonomously in whatever analytic structure within

the phenomena of its shifting and morphing qualities.

The engagement and acknowledgement of drawing

as a nite medium of expression nds validity in the

mentioned autonomy. This ideology is embraced in the

collaborative presentation of Sepia. In this presentation the

artists Akanimoh Umoh, Raji Mohammed and Samuel

Ajobiewe curated by Segun Adejumo express in a space of

representation that centres in an articulation of

representation of Images 'seen'. This in itself is a subjective

context as the ideological inference here is beyond that of

opt ica l funct ion and in forms of phi losophica l

engagement/employments that inform the construction of

the representation involved.

The engagements in these efforts are also centred in

the use of pencils for mark making on paper as ground and

support. This engagement technique that is close to

writing in relation to expression in which the navigation of

the medium employs the support in its expression either

not covering it all in marks or re-exposing the ground

through erasure. The technique engages linear inections

of mark making in generating imagery. The navigation is

situated in motions of the hand as a process of thinking that

manifests in the product of the creative process. This

Tangents of Representation in SepiaOdun Orimolade 2018

Heidegger proffers that "every motion of the hand in

every one of its works carries itself through the element of

thinking, every bearing of the hand bears itself in that

element. all the work of the hand is rooted in thinking

(Heidegger 1986:16). The actions as such are a reaction

to external inuences and assimilations. This of which is

inspired by the desire to uphold the potential of the line as

mark in whatever capacity, that ts the drawing act within

the conceptual or perceptual sphere of its developmental

process or in the result of the process in itself

(Petherbridge 2014: 25). The process or result in drawing

is not denitive, rather it is more of an issue of

determining. This is in reasoning out without having to

concretize the sphere of what the action is or what the

action produces. Determination in this context refers to a

philosophical explication that is demonstrative in its

variables and happenings (Bungay 1987:25).

The philosophical basis within ontological and

epistemological parameters in Sepia are more attuned to

rationalist, analytical and empiric, observational attentions

to objective modes (Riley 2012: 155). Though to some

extent there is a subjectivity in expressions that are

pragmatist and psychological which attunes to an

individual experience where the object also becomes the

subject. In this it infers that the expressions engage

traditional academic approaches to an extent, also the

value of direct representation based on familiarity with

observable contexts of natural science gauges, calling up

concepts of principles and elements as techniques for

processing. It also allows for emotive reactions to the

imagery that may be developed by subjective qualities

interjecting academic relations (Riley 2012: 155).

The more apparent connections in the work of the

artists presentation in Sepia are clearly coined in the title of

the exhibition in itself. Colour could have a very impactful

in drawing, the use of coloured pencils allow the artists to

lay semi transparent marks due to the wax based binder of

the pigment in the pencil. This could also vary in the type

of colour pencil used which could have an oil based binder

or gum based binder as in the case of water colour pencils

and other related material. This eases the navigation of

the intensity and value of the hue against the paper. These

are useful in the construction of whatever illusion the artist

intends in the creative production.

Generally colour evokes psychological reaction and

in so doing inuences perceptions of the image viewed. It

impacts emotive states and behaviour in the long run.

Response to it is reactively reexive and spontaneous as a

non verbal communicative medium. Sepia as hue was

historically used for writing in Greco-Romanian

civilizations, also for drawing by artists such as Leonardo

Da Vinci up till the 19th century. Sepia itself is a reddish

brown hue named after the pigment it is sourced from

which is the ink sac of the Cuttle sh Sepia. Expectedly

mediums in use with the hue as a navigating technique in

drawing and writing have evolved with technological

advances but the engagement of the hue in itself has held

sway. This is ironic as in colour psychology the inference

of Sepia in symbolism indicates the past and tradition

(Gasden 2014[14]). The Sepia hue connotes both

feelings of warmth, comfort, security alongside that of

loneliness, sadness and isolation (Cherry 2017[05]). Also

it is used to infer life or fertility popularly in lm. Reactive

derivatives to it may be tuned to the mass or quantity and

or quality of how the hue is used.

The engagement o f Sep ia in Sep ia i s in

monochromatic style. It does in a sense give a vibe of age

old authenticity emulating the mindset of old masters that

are still being studied today. Aside of which the sepia

engagement in different areas of interest ranging in

portraiture, life study and pictorial expressions creates an

aesthetic in the collective body of work that infers a

solemnises that is laced with elegance. Raji Mohammed's

pursuit of a representative portrayal of his portrait

subjects could be an implication of inner signicance of his

perceptions of the subject. This of which in portraiture

points to a listing of character and a sense of morality that

is perceived. The intent in a situation of portraiture

depends on the basis for which the portrait is made. In this

case the representations are directed by Mohammed's

interest in the subject. This in the position of the observer

leans to a sublime inference of an essence carried within

his characters. It also his projection of this essence on his

characters. As such the portraits are not exactly a

representation of a direct observation but imbibes a

subjective quality of the inclinations of the artist in the

representation. This challenges assertions that 'the only

expression allowable in great portraiture is the expression

of character and moral quality [exempt of] not anything

temporary, eeting or accidental' (Aymar 1967:94). In

Mohammed's endeavours he pulls on all the non

afrmatives as external qualities that may be derived or

superimposed on the character of the subject. He also

draws the audience in to his subjects in his use of space in

the drawings.

Akanimoh Umoh's gurative studies are focused on

the female form. The posed human form is an endearing

subject in drawing, being both a basis and direct subject of

the creative endeavour. Also the female form as a subject

in relation to Laura Mulvey's term the male gaze has also

been a recurring subject in creative caucuses (Sassatelli

2011: 123- 143). Though not separat ing his

engagements from the ideology in differing ramications,

there however are other perspectives to apprehend

Umoh's representations of his female subjects in his Sepia

drawings. This in which discourse of the female as

subject in drawing is in addition to other perspectives in

apprehension of the drawings. Interestingly enough the

female gure as subject is polarized by differing socio

cultural perceptions of the ideal form. This of which

informs and drives a pertinence in the quest for ideal

image in the quest for subliminal aesthetics.

Samuel Ajobiewe's studies and constructed

compositions in huddled scenes or stance observations

are incisive and resolved in presentation value. This is in

an observatory impression that the compositions are

indicatively construed before and maybe during the

developmental process. His drawing compositions are

impactful particularly with his light handed mark making

and attention to ashes or areas of light. He does jump in

his engagement of grounds, be it paper or canvas. This is

while advantageously replicating moods and effects on

different grounds with the same drawing tools. Rather

than being random his mark making is also resolved

before the mark making process. His drawings are visual

story telling proffered in scenes or the subjects that he

attends. In his drawing the observer is led through the

apprehension experience by his directed lines and

juxtapositions of the subjects and elements in the

compositions. The compositions may be attained

consciously, by accident or in direct observation. They

are compositions are framed for their desired effect and

pitted in less mundane perspectives giving a feel of looking

in on an ongoing event.

Refreshingly, the drawings of Sepia are not as

preparatory processes. These draughtsmen though

different in the subjects of their drawings, share an overt

sensibility in relations to the human form. The exertion

of their hand thought plays out in their making and

weaving of the illusions they create.

References

Aymar, GC. (1967) The Art of Portrait Painting Philadelphia:

Chilton Book Co.

Cherry, K. (2017) The Colour Psychology of Brown: How Colours

Impact Mood, Feelings and Behaviours. Theories: Cognitive

Psychology. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/the-

colour-psychology-of-brown-2795816

Gadsden, G. (2014) The impact of Colour in Advertising,

M a r k e t i n g a n d D e s i g n . A v a i l a b l e a t :

http://www.maistro.com/blogs/impact-colour-advertising-

marketing-design/

Heidegger, M. (1986) What is Called Thinking? Translated by

Gray, JG. & Wieck, F. New York: Harper and Row.

Mearz & Paul, A. (1930) Discussion of Colour Sepia A Dictionary

of Colour New York: Mc Graw Hill.

Petherbridge, D. (2014) The Primacy of Drawing New Haven &

London: Yale University Press.

Riley, H. (2012) Drawing Towards and Intelligence of Seeing in

Writing on Drawing Ed Garner, S. Pps153-167 Uk: Intellect

Books.

Sassatelli, R. (2011) Interview with Laura Mulvey: Gender, Gaze

and Technology in Film Culture Theory, Culture & Society. Sage.

28 (5): 123–143.

AJOBIEWE SAMUEL

The sculptor assistant

8 x 6 inchesInk on cartridge paper2001

Five ahead


Daibate


Meeting Point


Rago


Preparation for Durbar


On guard


Childʼs play

8 x 6 inchesConte on cartridge paper2001

Discuss


Ten for ten


Akanimoh Umoh's thematic process revolves around

his personal engagements with self, society and the

world at large. He aims to bring to fore the various

subtle emotive complexities that both unify and

smudge the interpersonal relationships that plague

mankind. While still evolving, he is unabashedly

content with his deep love for gurative art and uses

watercolor, acrylic, sanguine pastels and charcoal as his

primary media of communicating his thoughts and

inspiration to the decorative and intellectual tastes of

his viewing audience.

AKANIMOH UMOH

Before the Unveiling


Stairs to 37B


Moon dreams


Rosa


Ada


Zaraʼs repose


Piecing up the dream


Lady from Zango


Within


Uncut


Sapphire


RAJI MOHAMMED

Born on the 29th of July, 1986 in Lagos, Nigeria.

A graduate in painting from Adeniran Ogunsanya

College of Education, Otto-Ijanikin in 2008, he

also obtained a B.Sc. (ED) degree in Art Education

from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2015.

Raji trained at the Universal studios of art in 2008

before joining A.S Ebenezer studio of art under

the watchful eyes of Master gurative painter,

Ebenezer Akinola in 2010. He is also a visual art

teacher and instructor.

He has a solo exhibition to his credit and has

participated in several group exhibitions.

Grace


The Veil


Young Commander


Elderly Smile


Wura


Hope


Joy of his arrival


Arinola


Seyi


Against the light


www.onedrawgallery.com

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