Nigerian visual artist Okoye Chukwuemeka John (b. 1997) is in his element, with his debut solo exhibition set to commence on May 13th at Mitochondria gallery, in Houston Texas.
Opening Reception : May 13th. 7:00 - 9: 00 PM.
Aba Girl. Oil on Canvas. 34 x 35 in. 2023.
Okoye is following up his successful debut group exhibition which took place at Mitochondria Gallery in the fall of 2022, where his classical realism portraits enamored art lovers, collectors, and critics in attendance and afar. The appeal of Okoye’s work gave rise to his participation at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund benefit in the fall of 2022, which featured renowned artists such as Sam Gilliam, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, Sarah Slappey, Derrick Adams, Kehinde Wiley, Amoako Boafo, and Jeff Koons.
Asylum I. Oil on Canvas. 34 x 35 in. 2023.
Okoye savored these moments as he delved further into his artistic practice to conjure a new body of work inspired by capturing a glimpse into moments from everyday life. Moments of peace, overwhelm, sadness, joy, fatigue, love, and perseverance. These are experiences shared by all of humanity. Okoye employs his palette knife, paint brush, and oil paints to create portraiture in the style of realism to render the aura and dramatic forms of his subjects in a state of equanimity.
Okoye is from the state of Anambra in the south-eastern region of Nigeria. He currently resides in the city of Uyo (southern, Nigeria) where he attained a bachelor’s degree in fine art.
“My environment was not in favor of me becoming an artist. I felt art was something I can use to provide solace to people. I was not the best at writing or using other forms of communication to convey my thoughts, but I discovered that people understood and could relate with my thoughts and imaginations through the art I create.”
-Okoye Chukwuemeka John.
Asylum II. Oil on Canvas. 29 x 46 in. 2023.
Okoye’s paintings also seek to remind us that in times of turmoil we need to take time to find peace and focus on our mental and emotional well-being.
In the paintings presented, Okoye depicts varying narratives of acceptance of life’s moments from the perspective of a young adult living in south-eastern Nigeria. He meticulously captures the tones of the subject’s expressions in solitude, using warm colors, light, shadows, and texture to generate compositions which convey emotional depth.
“Such is Life”, shows us that acceptance is a journey. The exhibition asks us to embrace life for what it is and to never lose hope for a better tomorrow.
Public Viewing: May 13th - June 3rd
2220 Commerce Street #D, Houston, TX. 77002.
For questions or inquiries please contact Mitochondria gallery.
0 comments