GELE: Vintage and Modern
Oil, Others · 2019 576 views
Gele is the head piece usually worn by women across Africa for day-to-day activities and on special occasions. O. Yemi is using “GELE – Vintage and Modern” as a metaphorical image to spotlight changes in African culture in this modern day. The art of tying Gele is disappearing like other traditional skills and many modern African young ladies are disadvantaged. As in his recent painting, looking through the window, O. Yemi placed the Nigerian National Theatre building, one of the noticeable landmarks in Lagos, Nigeria, where Gele is popularly worn at the background of this painting. On the foreground is the picture of the artist’s mother on the left side of the table which is archetypical of the vintage era when ladies took pride in having the skills to tie their own geles literarily and figuratively. It was an era when women took pride in been able to feed their family. On the opposite side is the image of a modern lady made up in O. Yemi usual style of Rose and thorns dressed in modernised Africans’ wear. Few modern African ladies have learnt the skill of tying their own Gele. In front of this modern Lady on the table is a tablet with Pinterest fashion page from which some African ladies choose their fashion styles. The blouse of the modern lady in this painting is less than half the size of the blouses worn by African women in the vintage years. The skills of tying Gele as well as other cultural attributes that used to be the pride of African women are disappearing. This painting is an homage to the artist’s mother and to all the industrious African mothers of the vintage years. They spent quality time with their children while working to support their families. They carried their children on their backs while working on the farms or managing their trading stalls. The artist’s mum carried her child on her back and on her head is the tray of fabrics she sells from door to door to provide for her family. It is great that modern African ladies could boast of having billions of followers and likes on social media but the only sincere followers and likes that really count are those of the members of their families. Modern African women, be virtuous women. Embrace the modern trends but don’t neglect the rich virtues of African heritage.
Like some of the old art masters Delacroix and Goya that spoke about social and political upheavals of their time in their works, O. Yemi uses some of his paintings to express himself about on-going political and social issues around the world. “A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art” so said Paul Cezanne; O. Yemi was deeply moved by the horrors of wars and the plight of immigrants drowning in the sea to pick up his brushes again. His first political painting was “ARAB REVOLUTION” influenced by Arab Spring that started in 2012. “THE EAGLE HAS LANDED” was done to speak about American led war on terror. His painting -“KABIYESI OBA OBAMA (Unquestionable King Obama)” was a political satire based on the love and hate relationship between President Obama and Donald Trump. “THE BLEEDING ROSE” was done in solidarity with Christians beheaded by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. “Hunger in the Land of Plenty” and “OIL: AFRICANS’ WEALTH and WOE” were about poverty and exploitation of African people. He also used his painting – “UKRINE: THE UNFORTUNATE BRIDE” to speak about how America and Russia influenced the war in Ukraine. “THE FISHERS OF MEN” was about immigrants drowning in the sea. When O. Yemi works on portrait paintings, he desires his portrait paintings to be uniquely creative. He often uses the paintings to tell stories about his subjects. In one of his commissioned paintings “Josanne of Trinidad”, he blended the images of the parents at the top background cloud and the main subject below the images of her parents. This is to indicate that the parents are in heaven looking down on Josanne. He often uses his subjects’ professions to create their paintings. He used artist materials to create his painting “PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST” and image of violin for the portrait of “THE VIOLINIST” He used books and flowing letters to create the portrait of Professor Wole Soyinka, 1986 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature in painting “SOYINKA: AN AFRICAN LITERARY ICON” O. Yemi has widely exhibited his works around the world in group and solo exhibitions. His works had featured in exhibitions in Bogota, Colombia; Vancouver, Canada; UN exhibition, Milan, Italy; Tokyo, Japan; USA and in many cities across the United Kingdom. O. Yemi has received many awards for his works across the world; his works have also been published in many art magazines and contemporary arts books. He is a member of the Fine Art America, the Society of All Artists, AERA –the Association Embracing Realistic Art and WCA- World Citizen Artists. O. Yemi paintings and awards can be seen on his website: www.o-yemi-tubi.pixels.com
