Joel Arueya series of Consumed by Emotions

The Dance, 4 x 5ft, Mixed media 

Talking about emotions seem to be not a necessity for some people and indirectly they get consumed and react to actions that they probably could have managed intelligently.

Joel Arueya series of Consumed by Emotions invites us to reconnect to our inner person. The dramatic gestures of the figures in his paintings are evocative and they recreate scenes of individuals who are trying to regain their emotions. The figures are depicted with colours contrasting the background. The organic lines that runs through the figures shows how we every of our organ is connected (physically and emotionally).

Consumed by Emotion, 4 x 3ft, Acrylic, Mixed media on Canvas

I will love to share some quotes about emotions I saw on recently on goodreads.com. They will be helpful to as you try to put your emotions in check especially this period we are experiencing a global pandemic.

“I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

“Don't be ashamed to weep; 'tis right to grieve. Tears are only water, and flowers, trees, and fruit cannot grow without water. But there must be sunlight also. A wounded heart will heal in time, and when it does, the memory and love of our lost ones is sealed inside to comfort us.”
― Brian Jacques, Taggerung

“But feelings can't be ignored, no matter how unjust or ungrateful they seem.”
― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

“Anger ... it's a paralyzing emotion ... you can't get anything done. People sort of think it's an interesting, passionate, and igniting feeling — I don't think it's any of that — it's helpless ... it's absence of control — and I need all of my skills, all of the control, all of my powers ... and anger doesn't provide any of that — I have no use for it whatsoever."

[Interview with CBS radio host Don Swaim, September 15, 1987.]”
― Toni Morrison

SEIDOUGHA LINUS EYIMIEGHA - A LAGOS BASED ARTIST REDEFINING DANFO

A typical Danfo bus

Danfo is one of the icons that can best depict Lagos because of how popular it is all across the state (this does not mean Danfo is everywhere in Lagos); it is impossible to visit Lagos and not come across these yellow buses that dots the streets of the Lagos metropolis. 

The Lagos based artist Seidougha Linus Eyimiegha who studied painting at the Delta State University have been researching on the Lagos Danfo designs and redefining the consumption of these designs for art lovers. His artworks bring to context the geometric traits of local art forms and contemporary designs consumed in popular culture.

Paintings of Seidougha Linus Eyimiegha exhibited at Art 21 Lagos

Just the way Danfo is telling contemporary stories of our time through symbolic motifs, so is he re-enacting the same stories through the use of strapping divergent colours and geometric shapes reminiscent in the designs of African popular culture especially found on Danfo buses. The artist cum curator is looking forward to exploring other elements of local pop culture that is massively consumed.