Recap: Rele’s Young Contemporaries 2018

Young Contemporaries 2018 exhibition is hosted by Rele Arts Foundation and is in its third edition of the Young Contemporaries initiative. The initiative promotes five Nigerian visual artists, giving them the tools to succeed critically and commercially in the global art marketplace. The event took place on Sunday, January 14, 2018, at four o’clock in the evening, and drew quite a large crowd for an art exhibition. The exhibition had five pictures each of the five artists.  The arts were hung on white spaces, with strategically placed lightings, and themes ranging from love to mental awareness among others.

The recipients this year are Dandelion Egho Eghosa, Yasser Claud-Ennin, Samuel Olowomeye, Abisola Gbadamosi and Habeeb Andu.

Meet the five artists.

Dandelion Egho Eghosa is a 24-year-old Modern Languages graduate from Ambrose Alli University. She specialises in photography. Dandelion works with a combination of various materials: newspapers, picture cut-outs and paint. Her art blurs the thin line between abstract and realism. The inspirations behind her artworks are the subjugation of sexuality and the ignorance towards mental illness which she interprets in a familiar yet fresh way.

Yasser Claud-Ennin is 29 years old and currently studying at Newcastle University. Yasser uses various media to create his art including painting and weaving. His arts take you on a journey, one filled with religion, presumably protection and growth.  Yasser’s art with the Rosaries and Bible verses hits home, creating a nostalgic feeling of growing up in a religious society.

Samuel Olowomeye, 25, has a BA in Performing Arts from the University of Ilorin. With a focus on drawing, Samuel’s art focuses on the negative influence of Western civilisation in African culture, touching on the issues of make-up and chemical substances among others.

Abisola Gbadamosi is a 22-year-old Painter (Watercolour) based in Lagos, Nigeria. Abisola’s arts documents the fragility and strength of human emotions, with soft pastel colours and almost a minimalistic style. Her art goes on a journey of love and sensuality.

Habeeb Andu, 29, is a Painter based in Lagos, Nigeria. Habeeb’s juxtaposition of various elements like metal, animal and wood is as complicated as it is exhilarating. Touching issues of recession and the length people go to mask pain and show happiness, his art is relevant for today.

Go through this collection of images

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Abisola Explaining her work. Photo Credit: Rele rt Gallery

Samuel Olowomeye. Photo Credit: Rele Art Gallery

Habeeb's art on recession and the troubles people go through to mask their pain. Photo Credit: Rele Art Gallery

Habeeb Andu. Photo Credit: Rele Art Gallery

Dandelion's spot at the exhibition. Photo Credit: Rele Art Gallery

Dandelion's spot at the exhibition. Photo Credit: Rele Art Gallery

People looking at the artworks at the event. Photo Cre Rele Art Gallery

Abisola Gbadamosi. Photo Credit: Rele Art Gallery

Art by Dandelion, about sexual subjugation and the ignorance o mental illness. Photo Credit: Rele Art Gallery

Art by Yasser, about growing in a religious environment. Photo Credit: Rele Art Gallery