By Osa Mbonu-Amadi, Arts Editor 

“Augmented Reality: I hutula ihe e sere ese n’agu egwu?” That was the title of the story the Igbo BBC News carried on Ife Olowu not long ago.

That headline is densely packed and compressed with meaning for two reasons, first on account of the language, and then the meaning of the texts.

Ife Olowu is Yoruba. For BBC Igbo service to find his works worthy of attention is an open acknowledgement that his works have not only achieved global recognition but also generate interests across ethnic boundaries.

Then the question – “I hutula ihe e sere ese n’agu egwu?” (Have you ever seen a singing painting?) – dives into the wonders of Augmented Reality as infused into Ife’s paintings, especially the works he featured at the Spectrum group art exhibition of November 14 and 15, 2024, at Casild Contemporary Art Gallery, Connaught Street, London, United kingdom.

One of the two paintings Ife presented at Spectrum is titled “Identity”, a contemplative piece which explores the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people. It is a painting of a Yoruba woman whose face is decorated with tribal marks. In Africa, tribal marks function both as aesthetics and as means of identification. It is from this later function of tribal marks – identification – that the artist derived the title of the painting, “Identity”.

“Identity” revisits the art of scarification which has been practiced for centuries amongst some ethnic cultures in Nigeria and still being practiced today in some parts of the country, although it is no longer as popular and acceptable as it used to be before the infiltration of African cultures by Europeans. Using Augmented Reality, the artist breathes life into “Identity” by infusing the vibrant sounds of the bata drum into the painting and causing the tribal marks to move rhythmically.

The theme of Ife’s second piece for the Spectrum exhibition titled “Rawani” is taken from the colorful Durbar festival of Northern Nigeria. “Rawani”, which means turban in Hausa, is the outcome of Ife’s visit to Kano during one of the Durbar festivals, where he was intrigued “by the intricate patterns and vibrant colours of the traditional headwear,” he says. “Through this piece, I aimed to bring a piece of the north back with me, celebrating the beauty and richness of the Hausa culture.”

Using Augmented Reality which has somewhat become his trademark, Ife Olowu transforms the head geared figure in the painting to an Hausa playing the algaita flute, a traditional woodwind musical instrument associated with the Arewa Northern Nigeria.

As the viewer interacts with “Rawani”, “you can hear the enchanting sounds of a flute being played, immersing you in the essence of the artwork,” says the artist. This was exactly the scene that had inspired the BBC Igbo service headline cast in form of a question: “Augmented Reality: I hutula ihe e sere ese n’agu egwu?”

Ife’s work involves traditional painting techniques using oil and acrylic. After completing the physical artwork, he captures a high-quality image of it and transfers it to specialized AR software. Using this technology, he designs and adds interactive effects to the painting, effectively bringing it to life.

So, when viewers scan with their smartphone the barcode accompanying Ife’s artwork, the painting transforms into a dynamic, immersive experience. For instance, the sounds of the bata drum (as in “Identity”) and the sound of the algaita flute (as in “Rawani”) become an integral part of the artwork, engaging the viewer’s senses in real-time. “With the advent of AR glasses and contact lenses, this experience will continue to evolve, further blurring the lines between reality and art,” says Ife Olowu.

Apart from being a brilliant artist, Ife Olowu is among the forerunners of Nigerian visual artists in the field of incorporating AR into their artworks. With AR, Ife successfully transcended the boundaries of traditional paintings, leading his audience into astonishing experiences as they interact with his artworks.

His basic artistic brilliance and inventive use of Augmented Reality all combined to exceed the boundaries of traditional art forms, create a blend of digital and physical experiences for his audience, and brought Ife and his works to the global stage.

By all standards, an accomplished visual artist based in Lagos, Nigeria where he was born and raised, Ifeoluwa Oluwaseun Olowu began his creative career as a young child inspired by cartoons, movies, and comic books before proceeding to the great Yaba College of Technology.

He was later admitted to the University of Lagos, UNILAG, to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts. It was at UNILAG that his skill in printing and design was fully developed.

Among his other recent exhibitions are Naija Art exhibition and fashion show (October 24-November 2, 2024) at Art Basel center, Switzerland; Ijo Ibile and Cultural Thames solo art fair (July 27, 2024) at Moorings Sociable Club, UK; Diverse perspectives Group art exhibition (July 14 -20, 2024) at Landmark Art gallery, Lagos, Nigeria; Nigeria Re-Envisioned Group Art exhibition (May 3 -25, 2024) in Finland, etc.