Collins Obijiaku's Inaugural Solo Exhibition at Roberts Projects

Robert Projects presents its first collaboration with Collins Obijiaku, a self-taught Nigerian artist working in New York. Known for combining materials to produce the most nuanced, emotive Black portraiture, the artist's whirling work catches even the most minute emotional nuance hidden in his subjects' spontaneous posture.

The show, which is Collins Obijiaku's first solo exhibition with the gallery, brings together a fresh series of portraits made over the previous year. Unexpected Sittings delves into the possibilities of each connection and the ways in which these dynamic and–at times–complicated places may inspire to an unusual degree.

As the artist has observed, "There is an infinite reservoir of ideas woven into the fabric of incidental talks or encounters that emerge and grow gradually. And many of these ideas, or new viewpoints, have the ability to push us in the direction of good transformation, as people or organisations."

Obijiaku's paintings are heavily inspired by a strong family connection to his cultural history and surrounding location, and are filled with a feeling of daily life and personal experience. His pictures usually portray human frailty while delving into issues of identity and intimacy. Unexpected Sittings is a collection of portraits of family and friends, both old and new, painted in the same style: quarter-length portraits with uninterrupted eye contact, a narrow depth of focus with no discernible backdrop, and contemporary, organic colours. By fusing style and substance, Obijiaku subtly portrays the different characteristics of each of his subjects.

Obijiaku's art is instantly identifiable for its unique rendering, topographical linework, and expressive elements. He skillfully develops out the features of the face by working directly on the surface of either paper or canvas. The effect is similar to that of silverpoint, a difficult-to-correct sketching method perfected by Albrecht Dürer. This blend of spontaneity and competence portrays both the subtleties of mark-making and the ethereal features of the topic portrayed. Contrasting colour and light, as well as the rich textured quality of painted details, emphasise the artist's touch even more.

Collins Obijiaku's (b.1995 Kaduna, Nigeria; now residing in Abuja, Nigeria) graceful portraits of Black men and women address the spectator directly. The artist employs a variety of mediums, often combining oil, acrylic, and charcoal, to generate delicate gradients, enticing texture, and bewitching linework; up close, his brushstroke groupings look almost cartographical. Obijiaku's subjects include both family members and strangers he encounters on the street, allowing him to produce personal portraits of his house and neighbourhood. Obijiaku has shown in New York, London, Lagos, and Accra, among other cities. He was an artist-in-residence at Black Rock Senegal, Kehinde Wiley's multimodal residency programme in Dakar, Senegal, inaugurated in 2019.

His graceful portraits, fifteen of which will be included in the Unexpected Sittings show, explore the latent potential of two brains meeting. The artist's relationship with his sitters is seen as a metaphor for every accidental encounter, every social or spiritual interaction that delivers pearls of undiscovered potential if we are only willing to be open enough. Collins Obijiaku is primarily interested in his immediate surroundings, as well as the value gained by paying careful attention. The show will be accessible to the public from April 30th until June 4th.

Featured Image: Collins Obijiaku, Aunt Vivian and Coach, Detail; Courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects Los Angeles,California; Photo - Paul Salveson

Source: robertsprojectsla.com