By Japhet Alakam

It was another gathering of art patrons, dealers, promoters, scholars and others as the first major joint exhibition of paintings by two brothers, Emmanuel and Stanley Dudu was declared open at Alexis Gallery, Victoria Island, Lagos. The exhibition is coming on the heels of the successes recorded by the two multi talented brothers in their different artistic life tagged Meet the Dudus, an exhibition of recent works of art. It featured some of the recent creative works by the two award winning artists.

Ordinarily it is not often that you meet two brothers in the same profession that is why the ongoing exhibition by two brothers is a delight to many art lovers especially people who have been following their works. The exhibition which opened on the 21st of September and will run till 28 offered the artists the opportunity to exhibit their works side by side. On display were about 45 works of paintings and drawings in various media that address some of the fundamental issues in the society.

While Emmanuel Dudu, a painter and mixed media artist whose work comments on daily life and routine aspects of traditional and contemporary society in Nigeria presented about 16 stunning paintings, Stanley on his part featured about 25 drawings in monochrome. Some of the works by the older Dudu include: Blessings untold 1&2; Royalty Practice; Research Methodology; Pipe Dream; Sunshine on the plateau;My Jedi Customer and others . While the younger Dudu  features works like Idle Morning; Trade and Maternity; The Socialite; Fulani Women Convergence; The Octogenarian;  Sisters Act etc.

Viewers had a field day going through the body of works that addressed one issue or the other. For Emmanuel Dudu who stated that he is inspired more by his immediate environment and culture, some of his works really reflect some of the things he sees in his environment. His colorful light palette strokes give you that serene and peaceful inner feeling, for example the Pipe series which depicts a man enjoying his pipe and another, the man and his wife enjoying the pipe. Here he says it was touched by the addiction to pipe smoking by the old man and his wife. Another work, The shattered dream, a learned man engrossed with his learning seated beside heaps of papers with his pipe and a bottle of local gin by his side, depicting what too much knowledge can cause to one

For Stanley who was somehow inspired by the exploits of his elder brother Emma, a look at the works shows his figurative expressions which exude love and life. His charcoal and pastel works are an absolute delight with a lot of meaning and depth. According to him, “Intimate private lives of women and children in southern interiors have always provided the source of subject material for my art.”

Dexterously, Stanley renders his narrative portrayals chiefly in charcoals, pastels, oils and acrylics, and employs his inept use of chiaroscuro, lines, and sparing use of colours  as an elemental instrument of style in capturing the very essence “ inspiring fleeting moments”.

By virtue of his impressionistic manner of rendition in gray scales, his works have found him recognition as they were considered unique and refreshing at a time when coloured paintings became too rampart.

The exhibition is proudly supported by Alexis gallery, Veuve Chicquot, arra Vineyard, The Homestores, Chocolate Royal, Cool-FM, Wazobia FM and Nigeria Info.