Shades of Life is my life’s fulfillment

By Omolola Afolabi

For artist Yemi Odetayo, art is a fulfillment of his life’s dream.

Inspired by the picturesque colonial street architecture and street work in Yaba Lagos where he grew up and schooled, he says he is driven by different “Shades of life”.

Odetayo prides himself in the “the notion of motion” style. I developed the style over the years to the level that it brings me joy as I create my paintings. However, I deliberately add more dings and scratches for intensity force to achieve fullness of expression”.

His exhibition , Shades of Life, held at the National Museum, Onikan. It was chaired by Director Lagos State Ministry of Culture of Arts, Mrs Olaitan Otulana.

Odetayo, who has received many awards, including the Federal Ministry of Education’s award for excellence, has also been listed in the “Who is who” role in the of Smithsonian’s Institution National Museum of African Art Libraries in Washington, United States of America.

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“The exhibition is a form of fulfillment. I have deprived myself of selling any of the art pieces since my launch into the advertising agency.

Discussing his trajectory into the artistic world and how he has been able to juggle advertising with painting. I have been able to combine advertisement  with publishing with the arts in order to have multiple streams of income,” he says.

According to the chairperson of the occasion, Director Lagos State Ministry of Culture of Arts, Mrs Olaitan Otulana, Shades of life capture the different moments of life.

Drawing on one of the paintings “Solitude”, she applauded the colorful and highly picturesque art works, while encouraging art lovers to invest in it.

Dean of School of Art Design and Printing, Yaba College of Technology, Dr Kunle Adeyemi, who is a senior colleague and mentor to the exhibiting artist while in school was, he said the exhibition speaks highly of different aspects of our national life, particularly Nigerian women who struggle to make things happen but yet under-appreciated.