Stepping into the gallery these days, one can immediately feel the shift in the Nigerian art scene, with a new generation of artists who are using their work to go far beyond simple decoration. At the centre of this shift is the Golan Heights Renaissance collective, a group of artists united by their shared training at Auchi Polytechnic. The Reinvention presentation demonstrated how these artists are using paintings and mixed media as a mirror for our society. Rather than focusing solely on colour or technique, their work captures the struggles and emotions that people rarely express aloud. Through their art, they explore complex themes like urban hardship, identity, and the quiet resilience of the Nigerian people, turning the gallery space into a place for telling relatable, essential human stories and questioning the world around us.

Speaking with the Guardian Life, these artists share the concept of their work and how they are using their unique artistic languages to offer both critique and hope. For them, art is not only about colour, beauty, or technique. It is also a way of telling human stories, questioning society, and giving shape to emotions that words may not fully capture.

Single Room series by Heyman Ogbemi

The works on display underscore this focus on social documentation. Heyman Ogbemi, in his Single-Room series, confronts the harsh realities of urban housing under current economic pressures. His acrylic paintings depict a middle class struggling against rising rental costs, often contrasted with the detachment of the wealthy elite.

Rest series by Emmanuel Isiuwe

He employs a verisimilitude-nous approach in his At Rest series, capturing the stillness of sleep and the shifting landscape of landmarks like the Iyana Ipaja bus stop in Lagos.

Ojularin by Dolapo Ogunnusi

The exhibition also delves into the psychology of urban living. Dolapo Ogunnusi’s textured acrylics oscillate between riverine settlements such as Okobaba and the chaotic rhythm of non-riverine cityscapes. His mixed-media diptychs, notably Open Doors and Ojularin, probe the duality of human nature, the face that presents itself to the world and the mind that remains concealed.

Shattered glass by Ademola Akinleye.

Themes of cultural validation are explored through the lens of material culture. Ademola Akinleye’s collages, which weave Ankara fabric motifs with lines suggesting shattered glass, serve as a study of immateriality.

Club by Paul Ayokhai

Similarly, Paul Ayokhai utilizes artistic synecdoche, referencing the legacies of mentors like Ben Osaghae and Olu Ajayi, to critique the social fallout of extravagant lifestyles.

Big Masquerade by Gbenga Olatunji-Aguda.

Gbenga Olatunji-Aguda, working despite a physical limitation, produces mixed-media paintings with a sculptural depth that demands attention. His work addresses persistent issues of tribal bigotry and leadership responsibility, while pieces such as Big Masquerade ground his practice in the tactile reality of traditional African symbols like peeled palm fronds.

Drummers by Thomas Oghale Agbge

Lastly, Thomas Oghale Agboge showcases a rhythmic exploration of community. Influenced by the cubist legacy of masters such as Rufus Ogundele and Muraina Oyelami, his portraits of musical ensembles reflect on the role of art in fostering intimacy and social bonds.