The tractions and patronage generated by the ongoing third solo exhibition, Bloodlines by Mrs Ighiwiyisi Jacobs (nee Emokpae) are manifestations of her long dreams of creating artworks that can compete favourably with any work of art in the global art market. From onset, when she shifted attention to her true nature exploring and thriving in creative enterprise, Ighiwiyisi dreamt of an Africa that commands its place on the world stage, especially in visual art.
To her, Africa’s greatest export is its people. And she strives daily to perfect both her art and her craft in order to display to as many as are willing to see, the brilliance, tenacity and excellence that is the African. All this reflects on the body of works she is currently exhibiting at her private gallery at Unit 2, Adetola Ayeni Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. Featuring a total of 56 works comprising 6 series and other paintings, Bloodlines, which opened on July 27 will run till August 30. Interestingly, on the opening day, almost all the portraits were sold out leaving only 16 of the 46 works available as at weekend.
The series include Ede Series, Sonogram series, Glyphs series,
Unbroken series, The constellation series, The unforgotten series, and Dreamscape series. But other paintings are Hauwa, Sidamaryhelwa, Constellations, Ughegbe, Misimi, Sagi, Yaisara, Nogbaisi, Strength and honour, Shayandimi, Odenhiwala and Iyare.
Apart from some paintings that have splashes of bright colours, bulk of the collection is rendered in deep indigo, which dominates the palette, creating an atmosphere of solemn contemplation.
The choice of indigo by the artist seems deliberate. This perhaps maybe because the dark tones demand time, slowing viewers into a meditative encounter that settles deep and lingers long after leaving. But again, working dominantly with indigo speaks to the maturity and growth Ighiwiyisi has recorded in her career as a visual artist.
The artist may not be too fascinated by loud colours, but uses subtle colours as vehicles to transmit philosophical messages to mankind. For instance, he uses Constellations series, to honour the majestic existence of heavenly bodies and how they bear witness to the bloodlines of men. Like an astronaut, Ighiwiyisi gazes at the ‘sky that has existed for millennia, and tries to imagine what her ancestors saw. Were there falling stars? Did they humble men to this day? Will these bodied still be here five hundred years from now? What would they day? What would they bear witness of? Will mankind be closer or farther from their awesome reach,? she asked.
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Gbéminíyì is the other half of a pair of works collectively termed Odé Ópá, culled from the Edo language and means ‘one path’. Misimi and Gbeminiyi are siblings and as such, share one of the most powerful bonds that human beings possess; the connection of having entered into this world through the same path. Ighiwiyisi uses these two to share a lasting truth she learned from her grandmother. In the middle of what was a huge fight between siblings, Ighiwiyisi remembers her quiet admonition. “Ode opa uwa ke re” she said, which means “You all came to this world by the same path”. It was her way of suing for peace between siblings, as well as a warning that is just as powerful today as the day it was first uttered.
In a farewell to a close friend and a light that remains undimmed by death, Ighiwiyisi painted Nabieyuwa (meaning one born into wealth) when she received news of the sudden death of someone with whom she shared a unique connection and whose death was as painful as it was shocking. Nábiéyuwà is the transliteration of another name – Enitíabísínúolá. The Unbroken series is a series within the Bloodlines Collection that examines the trajectory of human existence from the very first man and the very first woman. It is the story of the courage and strength of every generation whose existence has guaranteed that the collective human race continues. Through the work, she expresses this idea with her repeated use of the ‘timestamp’ created specifically to depict the many conduits through which the line of life has passed, leaving in its wake an unbroken heritage, replete with strength and honour.
Ighiwiyisi’s journey in the art started when she fell in love with spatial arts, which led to the founding of The Hermosa Design Company, and has now birthed a branch called Hermosa Galleria, popularly known as Gallery At The Landmark, a division of The Hermosa Design Company that is dedicated to the curation and display of works of art. Though a graduate of the Law faculty of the University of Lagos and an alumna of Queens’ College Lagos, but she is the daughter of the late Erhabor Emokpae, one of the founding artists of the Nigerian art world. Over the years, Ighiwiyisi has built her career in creative directing across both the artistic and technological spaces. Her recent appointment as creative director at Ilera Health cements her drive towards excellence across various strata of enterprise.
In September 8, 2021, she held her first solo I will not be lost, at Gallery at the Landmark, Oniru Victoria Island, Lagos, which was to honour people who have impacted her life; her mother, brother, father, siblings and husband.
