Olu Amoda: Fringe

Art21 in Lagos is showcasing Olu Amoda’s newest body of work. Fringe brings together the artist’s recent experimentations in sculpture, drawing, and installation as he explores questions of privacy and public space in the Nigerian urban environment.

Amoda’s use of unconventional materials and processes, combined with an interest in pertinent social and political issues, charters new depths by examining the relationship between surveillance, religion, and the female form.

Central to Amoda’s investigations are the influences of technology and how virtual communications shape and prescribe identity. Noting the hyper-consciousness of self-representation that is brought about by the digital revolution, Amoda focuses his attention to the prevailing presence of the camera in our daily lives. Whether self-imposed or brought about by increased modes of surveillance, the omnipresence of cameras and recording devices in these works suggest a cultural obsession with our “public” selves.

Set amidst these works are new series that reference religion and the sacredness of the private, as well as depictions of women that highlight the conflicting forces of sexuality. Rather than preaching morality or situating the pornographic as taboo, Amoda celebrates female sensuality. Eschewing the line between vulgarity and intimacy, Amoda points out that the public and the private are two sides of the same coin and intimately inform one another.

Art21 Lagos

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Lagos

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