Fadekemi Ogunsanya

This work has been kindly donated by the artist

Hong Kong, Ben Brown Fine Arts, Ghosts of Empires, 2022

London, Ben Brown Fine Arts, Ghosts of Empires II, 2022

Fadekemi Ogunsanya’s art serves as cathartic emotional landscapes which engage with the ineffable realms of love, joy, suffering, and loss. Growing up within a patriarchal Yoruba family structure, Ogunsanya carried a deep awareness of her womanhood and the profound influence of female alliances in society. The artist infuses mythological references in her art through the use of indigo, a colour steeped in cosmic significance within Yoruba culture. Her subjects exude a quiet confidence, bearing strong resemblances to ghostly figures and sharing a profound bond of mutual reinforcement. The artist is intrigued by how her work finds its place within a space, and her paintings are viewed as unique objects. Each artwork is housed in a hand-painted frame, a process enriched by her architectural background. Ogunsanya’s design expertise allows her to explore unconventional avenues of presentation, which depart from the traditional white cube gallery displays. The portrait presented here interrogates interpersonal relationships which embody the societal ideal of the nuclear family—a joyful yet tentative aspiration for many. The nuclear family is depicted with warmth, comfort, and volatility. The mother, father, and child figures are captured as powerful, graceful, and confident figures. Accompanying this piece is a poem that encapsulates the essence of creation, love, and vulnerability.