My first impression of Sotonye Jumbo (sotyj on instagram) was of a female artist who did not take herself too seriously. I made this assumption as a significant number of the artworks online primarily focused on a hip young female exploring various forms of a futuristic dystopia.
However, this could not have been further from the truth, as this artist is an observant, pensive male who cares deeply about the world he lives in.
For a duration of 4 days in September, Christine Gerlach opened the doors of the Ashanti gallery for an exhibition of paintings which marked Sotyj’s debut in Abuja.
The gallery opted for a very intimate display of his works, curated in a style of a home setting.
With acrylic, paint, fabrics, pencil, pastel and ink Sotonye is able to describe a world he has never seen, a multiverse where plugs and wires can be hair accessories and thick forests can form the backdrop of a heavily digitized female.
He aims to communicate through these series with 15 bodies of works, something so simple; music.
I found myself unsettled by a particular drawing of his inspired by the gods of Oshogbo, which was of limbs and distorted figures, its dominant color a dull yellow and green, so much so I had to drift away.
Sotonye Jumbo is a man on a journey who can create in a week as much as he can remain focused on a piece for a year.
King David, an artist and art enthusiast, stated that the centerpiece from Sotyj’s debut in Abuja reminds him of Omah lay, with the flowery details giving off a sponge bob vibe.
The most fascinating canvas was arguably of the female with vitiligo which was incredibly easy to miss.
Images by Jonathan Adamu
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