“Mmuo di ndu (the spirit that is alive)“ Oil on canvas

@ajayishogo · 2025-05-26 10:02 · YAF - Young Art Fair

Hello guys, I’m too excited to share with you a piece of my mind as always, too excited that it’s taken me great courage to put this out here because over the past few days I did not find words that best describe what I feel.

I drew my inspiration from my early years, I was very obsessed with literature and it led to me being exposed to so many stories that weren’t of the 21st century, books by authors such as Buchi Emechta, Ola Rotimi, Chinua Achebe, all made me curious about identity as an African person.

There were questions i wanted to ask, but couldn’t, so I was left to marvel at the informations I got about pre-colonial Nigeria.

“Mmuo di ndu (the spirit that is alive)” is one of the pieces I’m working on that boldly explore cultural as well as religious identity, for me This piece reminds me of who I am despite the world I find myself, it’s however a question I’m putting out, questions that challenges our perceptions about light and darkness, about old and new, about spirituality and self consciousness, of how bold enough we can be to be original yet balancing change over time.

PS: I quit a job I got because it stopped me from working on this piece. It felt like a great urge to tell this story, and I really felt those Ikenga lurking around me, felt good, like “a spirit that is alive”

“Mmuo di ndu (the spirit that is alive)” Medium: Oil on Canvas YEAR: 2025 Size: 45 x 51 inches

Thank you for stoppijg by.

#hive-177717 #painting #art #sketch #sketchbook #hive #ocd #onchainart #nigeria #drawing
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