In Boom, Alexis brings burst, energy with subtle reflective undertones

Boom is to make a loud, deep, resonant sound. It is also to progress, grow, flourish vigorously or thrive.

In 13 years, Alexis Galleries has shown that boom in arts business, as it has grown from a small space in Victoria Island, Lagos, into a hub for artists, artworks, and artist promotion, amid over 100 shows and residencies.

Alexis Galleries has engaged in the presentation and dissemination of contemporary art in the media of painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture. It has established itself as one of the best galleries in the vibrant Nigeria art space, a meeting place for artists, collectors and enthusiasts of art.

Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis, founder and director of Alexis Galleries, is passionate about the arts that she dedicates her gallery and studio space to the development of growing artists, sponsoring and promoting artists in showcasing their works.

In its latest show, Boom, a group exhibition of paintings and sculpture by nine young artists and a master, Fidelis Odogwu, who comes in as a guest artist, which opened last Saturday, December 14, and runs till December 24, 2024, the gallery is affirming its role as a preeminent facility for art development.

The exhibiting artists are Olamide Ogunade, Benson Oseghe, Meshach Charity, Oluwaseun Ojebiyi, Ghemileke Adekunle, Jahyém Jombo, Paschal Ugwu, Ibrahim H. Bamidele, Richard Adusu and Odogwu.

Chidiac-Mastrogiannis describes Boom as “paintings defining the scope of, and showcasing diverse painting styles, including metal mediums.”

She says the collection is a convergence of “dynamic works that capture the energy and burst that define contemporary life, blending everyday moments with subtle reflective undertones.”

The aims of the exhibition, says Chidiac-Mastrogiannis, is “to inspire viewers to reconnect to reality, by transforming the intangible into tangible action.”

Concluding, she reveals, “in a society paralysed by inaction, this exhibition motivates viewers to take proactive, responsive efforts towards positive change.”

According to the curator, Uche Obasi, “Boom is a collective narrative that navigates the complexities of our rapidly changing world, presenting a timely reflection, inspiration and connection to unending states of continuity and adaptability.”

Obasi reveals that the show explores the dynamic interplay of energies that arise from deliberate action and continuity within familiar space. “Through a diverse range of media, including oil paint, pastel, and acrylic, Boom examines the complexities of this energetic exchange,” he says.

The master sculptor and guest artist on the show, Odogwu is bringing three sculptural pieces — I am Innocent, Self Love and I am a Princess. He sculpts forma and meaning with keen focus on the malleable existence of things and of self precept.

For Odogwu, “You have to represent yourself, tell people who you are and defend yourself at any point in time.” He adds, “the philosophy behind it is that I am not part of anything that is happening in Nigeria; I am an artist, I’ve played my part, and I am doing it.”

Odogwu’s Self Love revels in the notion of the lure and strength that emerges from self-knowledge, adaptability and acceptance.

Ogunade presents Echoes in Stillness and Moment of Reflection. The works engage with themes of memory, culture and identity, and the illusion of forgotten moments, inviting viewers to reflect on the relevance of the past to the present.

Ogunade says these works are his “ways of documenting memories. It represents temporary situations in my life. For example, I failed WAEC seven times for seven years….I was struggling to pass before I could get admission, but when I decided to face my fears it disappeared.”

One of the figures in his painting; writes Obasi, “embodies a moment of pause, drawing viewers to connect with their own memories and experiences.”

Meshach contributes two works, My Green Dress and Behind Bars. On what inspired My Green Dress, Meshach says: “I had an interactive session with my mother, and I was able to scan through her experiences; how her ambition, what she wanted to become, and how the present makes it looks unrealistic.”

According to the curator, “the painting depicts a woman with a self-detached gaze, lost in an elusive quest for self-reaffirmation. Through this captivating portrayal, Meshach explores the woman’s journey as she reconciles her identity and belongings.”

Oseghe brings two works to the exhibition – Wheelbarrow Boys and Dispatch Man – from his ‘Man of the Year’ series. Using acrylic and oil, combining medium such as charcoal, graphite, paper collages and pastels, “the body of works tries to celebrate the relentless spirit of every individual striving to change their circumstances. No matter their social status, they are worthy of the man of the year title.”

Paintings feature emotively charged anthropomorphic figures set against the backdrop everyday domestic reality. Jombo brings two works to Boom; Why Don’t We? and Breath Again. The necks of the humans in “Why Don’t We?” are too thick and look out of proportion, but Jombo says “It is a style, and this style was developed on the idea of inventions. The landmark of inventions is humans.”

Adusu, who spoke through a video call from Ghana, says he has brought two works to Boom: Chest Out and Scarf of Many Colours. Chest Out, Adusu says, “is about we being bold enough to stand up for the vulnerable and things that enslave us, and being supportive to one another. It encourages boldness.”

For Scarf of Many Colours, he adds scarf is called duku in Ghana, just like gele in Nigeria. In Ghana, duku shows the personality of the wearer, the message she wants to communicate. The scarves communicate beauty – beauty of many colours.

Adekunle, on his part, brings Wild Card, An Ode to Jones. His paintings “extol the quiet beauty and resilience beyond the tentacles of human fragility and conditions,” writes the curator.

Bamidele brings A moment with Self, Love in Colours and Supplication.

“Many of my works communicate my religion which is Christianity,” he confesses.

Using newsprints and ankara fabrics as mediums, he interrogates the halos – circles of light shown around or above the head of a saint or holy person to represent their holiness.

Ojebiyi’s Passing the Touch and Fresh Beginning explore age-long domestic tiers, cultural preservations, and heritage through community customs and values, all of which reconnects the past with the present. Ojebiyi reveals that his father was a photographer. “I grew up seeing his works and this type of camera.”

The show is supported by The Macallan, Cerebral Palsy Centre, Coca Cola, Mikano, Art Cafe, Bombay Sapphire, The Guardian, Tiger, UPS, Aina Blankson Global, Haier Thermocool, Nigeria Info, Cobranet, Berol and Schweppes.