Laju’s tea layering aesthetics of stillness, strokes

Visual artist, Laju Sholola, projects her works through the minimalist lens, conveying feelings in an abstracted figurative style. Using a unique technique of layering tea-infused brush strokes, she intricately highlights the contrast between what is visible and what is concealed.

Before her current exploration of black tea, Laju’s paintings were bold and colourful renditions of art with washes of acrylic. While she focused on mostly facial features of the subject, she was naturally drawn to distressed patterns, which she explored with the direct patch in patterns of tea in her works.

The distressed look in the applications of tea-infused strokes is a medium she adopted to convey aspects of the human emotional state to canvas.

“I linked the distressed look on my works to the celebration of the idea of imperfection of the being. Because we are in a constant state of transformation and change, I felt like the aesthetics of the medium helped me amplify the message in conveyance.

“There are so many artists that paint with coffee. I’ve explored using coffee but I found my way back to tea. I find tea better to manage. But who knows what may happen tomorrow, there’s no limit to mediums an artist can use,” she said.

Laju is a self-taught artist whose works have featured in exhibitions at Evanston Art Centre, Medium Tings, Mitochondria Gallery, USA; Kanbi Projects, UK; and Art X Lagos, Soto Gallery, Yenwa Gallery, Angels & Muse, Bloom Art Gallery, Rele, as well as Wunika Mukan Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria. Be Here Now, shown at Yenwa Gallery, Lagos, is her most recent exhibition.

The body of works in the exhibition is about self discovery. Be Here Now is an invitation to connect deeply with the present moment, to declutter minds and lives, and to embrace the beauty of stillness and introspection.

Laju captures the tender, candid emotions that shape identities and growth. The profoundness of the collection on display, the work evokes reflection of introspection, stillness, captivation, reflection and depth.

“I’m very interested in the transformative processes that occur as we think about how we want to improve as individuals, how we see ourselves and where we want to be. When you look at the works, you would see either people gaze away or just alone with their thoughts, meditating on their own.

“What you may also have noticed is how I use negative space. I use that to amplify the idea of stillness and quietness. For example, if you look at the diptych work titled Daydreams, it depicts a lady seated on a beach or by herself, on a field thinking. On the second canvas is a blank pattern of conveyance on the canvas. The absence of an image on the second panel accentuates the idea of stillness or someone being alone.”

Laju’s works, rendered in subdued monochrome tones, feature serene subjects and invite viewers into a realm of calm and reflection. The figures, often portrayed in undergarments, nightwear, or swimwear, evoke the sense of vulnerability and introspection.

Their averted gazes and closed eyes draw the viewer into their private worlds, encouraging pause and reflection. In the quiet presence of her art, the viewer’s own thoughts become amplified, prompting a deeper engagement with the emotions and narratives her pieces convey.

In pieces like Grounding 1 and Grounding II, she explores the theme of balance and readiness for movement. The subject in Grounding I hugs her knees in a crouched position, embodying a moment of introspection. In Grounding II, she assumes a stance reminiscent of a competitive runner, poised for action yet grounded with her focus directed beyond the viewer’s gaze.

These works capture the tension between stillness and motion, grounding and flight. Laju’s hope is that a viewer, captured in the depths of her work, is inspired to find solace and inspiration in the quiet spaces, fostering a deeper understanding of their own journey and transformations.

Curator of the exhibition, Ugonna Ibe, who first started working with Laju in 2018, said she’s been close to Laju’s process and have seen it develop.

“Her first works were actually more colorful than in the last few years. It’s been a very bold step towards the discovery of her style; to this more monochrome, brow, tan colors. I’m excited she discovered this medium and is really commanding it,” Ibe said.