By JAPHET ALAKAM

At last, the much talked about unique exhibition by the artistic and harmonious family of painters, Emmanuel and Angela Isiuwe kicked off at the Didi Museum, located in Victoria Island, Lagos. The exhibition which is coming after ten years of the couple’s last exhibition tagged Our World Human and Equestrian Life.

A visit to the gallery revealed that the place now wears a new look courtesy of the array of works displayed at all the corners . Visitors to the gallery will be fascinated by the good use of colours, lines and creative ingenuity of husband and wife, who have refused to be distracted by their marriage but rather are forging ahead in all affairs of life. The works actually bring the much needed breath of fresh air to the exhibition circuit, something which is far away from the over flogged and boring depiction of everyday Nigerian life in Nigerian art.

The ongoing exhibition which  can be described as a product of hard work is indeed unique in many ways, it is an exhibition by a husband and wife, the works are rendered in good colours and the brochure made in a special way in one booklet but depicts the two artists and their works. It will run till 27th July, 2013.

Featuring about 50 appealing works that can meet any collector’s demand, the couple who have made art their calling through the body of works rendered in acrylic on canvass and acrylic on paper reveal their continued love for art.

Some of the works include: Age of Innocence; In her Prime; You are Connected; Rainbow Reflection;Guardian Angel; Passage of Time; Ghost Mode; Posture and others.

The exhibition features special works in simple linear forms from Angela, most of them in black and white form as she continues to explore the female anatomy in all its ramifications. Her art is very peculiar and unique in the broad spectrum of Nigerian female contemporary and modern art, her style is deeply rooted in the abstraction tradition and stands alone by itself.

Although she has consistently worked on both paper and canvas, it is her work with colour on paper that really brings out her power and skill as an abstraction painter. Her works on canvas mainly depict the female form particularly the female anatomy in semi-abstraction, her paper works depict pure abstract forms of objects and female forms. Of great importance also is the incursion from her fashion design background as reflected in some of her works like a monochrome piece titled Head Form in subtle representation of the Niger Delta identity of western bowler hat, baggy shirt and native wrapper.

For Emmanuel,  who has been painting like his contemporaries of the 50’s generation, his recent work is a bit different from it. In the works, the Auchi Polytechnic trained painter apart from the regular painting also showcases a different form of painting as shown in his painting of horses in a new form, something that is different from the various moods and poses in Nigerian art. His rendition of horses on canvass speaks for itself as it affords viewers another opportunity to see how nature creates diverse species of animals in one breed.

Speaking about the exhibition, renowned art patron, Sammy Olagbaju said, “The works are marvelous, very interesting, the couple are working very well, there is harmony in the works I have seen. I am impressed by the colours, the lines, the innovation and the treatment of the horses. So I commend them, it is quite an interesting and successful exhibition.”

For Prof. Ebun Clark, who sponsored the exhibition with her husband, Prof. J.P. Clark,  “Its amazing and very refreshing works. I like the interactiveness of the works especially the line paintings of Angela that reminds one that it’s never finished…”