By Chukwuma Ajakah

Building on the momentum of the success of the series of exhibitions organized to mark his formal disengagement from the academia in 2024, renowned master artist, Dr. Kunle Adeyemi is again set to thrill art lovers and collectors with unveiling of another extraordinary art exhibition, combining the worlds of art, cuisine, and community at the famous Eric Fayser Restaurant, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The exhibition aptly tagged, “Beyond the Veil” is curated by topnotch art promoter, Dr. Bukola Bello Jaiyesimi of Irachi Consult, a consortium with a knack for packaging innovative art shows. By exploring an intersection of art and dining flavor, the exhibition will be breaking away from the norm of traditional gallery settings to serve art enthusiasts and foodies a feast for the senses through a unique blend of creativity and culinary delights.

The organizers revealed during a Press Briefing held last Thursday, April 3, 2025 at the Mike Adenuga Centre (Alliance Francaise), Ikoyi that the novel gastronomic and visual fiesta would open for public viewing from Tuesday, April 16 to Thursday, May 15, 2025. Adeyemi has had remarkable successes as an astute art educator and studio artist. Besides participating in numerous local and international exhibitions over the years, the former Dean, School of Art, Design, and Printing, Yaba College of Technology, Yabatech, Lagos has consistently demonstrated passionate commitment to his art, doggedly experimenting, keeping abreast with emerging trends in the industry, and mentoring new generations of artists.

In 2024 alone, he held about four exhibitions, including the Irachy Consult powered series, “Resounding Echoes: Memories, Retrospect and Vision” held at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos and a research exhibition, “ Paintograph and Paintocast Explored”, hosted at Yabatech, Lagos. Earlier in that year, he had a residency at Gallery Astley Graphic/Printing Studio, concurrently exhibiting at the Gallery Astley Museum, Uttersberg, and later at the Orebro biennial, Orebro, Sweden.

Speaking on the prospects of Beyond the Veil against the backdrop of the unusual setting, the ebullient curator, Jaiyesimi, recalled how the idea was conceived saying, “While we were here on one of our retreats, the few artworks we had come to see how they would sit in positions were about to be bought without actually being on display. We had people asking, “Is this for sale?” Without even putting it up yet, we were just here on our usual planning meetings. Because we have a community that appreciates the works of art coming here to dine, I know that it will be a success.”

Jaiyesimi revealed that Adeyemi’s body of paintings and print-works is curated with emphasis on storytelling, involving a blend of visual storytelling with the sensory pleasures of dining, and unique intersection of art and gastronomy. “Beyond the Veil presents a diverse collection of works that challenge contemporary notions, bridge the past with the present, and invite introspection. The pieces being showcased unravel hidden narratives, revealing emotions, memories, and cultural echoes that shape our understanding of the world,” she enthused, adding that “Alliance Francaise, a hub for cultural exchanges provides the perfect setting for this confluence of ideas as the integration of art into the culinary space of Eric Kayser offers an innovative approach to experiencing creativity.”

Adeyemi explores traditional and modern artistic styles, ideas, and techniques that contribute to advancing a new consciousness as evidenced in his still trending topnotch discoveries, Paintocast and Paintograph- symbolic and representative art techniques that resulted from extensive researches in Yoruba traditional forms and motifs. With metal foil and mixed media as his main medium, he will be showcasing 35 paintings and print-works of diverse sizes, including: Symphony of the Soul (mixed media on canvas), Dialogue with Nature Series III (mixed media on canvas), Female Form II (deep etching and block print), and Fragrance of Traditional Embroidery (metal foil relief).

Giving an insight into the potential benefits of the show and art space, Adeyemi said: “We are trying to blend what is happening here with the type of work we are showing in a way that they will go together and none will disturb the other. The work is a mixed bag, a metaphor, covering some social areas. There is so much in Nigeria that we can actually serve everyone. But, are we really looking beyond? I used the sea, the waters, as example of what God has provided for us in this country. There is a lot that can actually be done. Sometimes, when you create a theme or a topic, you try to let people put on their thinking caps. What this means at the surface is that we have so much in this part of the world that can actually serve our purpose.” 

The storyline of one of the works, “The Fisher man’s Dream” illustrates the ideological values embedded in his art:“The fisher man’s dream is to catch fish-big or small, he won’t aim at small because he wants to catch the big fish. That dream gives him the hope that propels him every day of his life. He keeps believing, “One day I’ll catch a big fish. That day may not come, but he will still be in the business. That is the propeller.”

The iconic artist reflects his belief that art is local in the titles of his works. “Every art is local,” he opined. “Since we are still leading the blind to the market in this part of the world, we need to pull their hand to say, there is a gutter there, there is a road there, sticks are there, stumps are there and all that. I know the community that I operate from, I need to make sure that I don’t confuse them in any way. I want to make sure that the African viewers know what we are doing. I want to be sure that they understand what we are doing to the full. Then, from the known, I can go to the unknown. Originality is there when you title your work. I have been either an apprentice or student of Bruce Onobrakpeya. I don’t want to change from that style because it is uniquely ours, uniquely African.”

Jaiyesimi envisages no difficulties for the curatorial team regarding the blending of two art forms. “I used to teach African dance in Scotland,” she remarked, “I learned and executed a lot of cultural projects like the Cultural Extra funded then by Shell. I came up with about 8 to 9 different art forms and took them into the schools and the colleges. I have over the years managed cultural projects for myself and on behalf of clients. Bringing two art forms together was not a problem for me. The question on my mind was “This is Africa, I am back here, how open are we to such?” But, bringing it together was never a problem. Africans are now open to art forms such as the ones we are exhibiting. Before, foreigners were the ones that were most interested in these works. Some of them would collect so much that when eventually their time in Africa is over, they would need to pay for extra luggage to move them back home. 

Emphasizing that the exhibition transcends the usual display of artistic mastery, Jaiyesimi described the event as an invitation to engage, reflect, and experience the boundless potential of human creativity. “We invite art lovers, food enthusiasts, collectors, and the public to step Beyond the Veil and immerse themselves in a conversation between taste and vision,” she said.