Saturday 1 February 2014

With Dust and Strokes, young Nimi keeps ambition alive



A Peep Into the Future by Nimi Izulu

Barely a fully trained artist, young Nimi Izulu has had two solo art exhibitions, within just two years.

His second solo titled Dust and Strokes, mounted inside the improvised gallery space of the Alliance Francais, Herbert Macaulay, Yaba, Lagos was nearly lost in the packed library and reception of the venue.

However, the young artist’s skills of an ambitious lad rescued the exhibits by generating a curious attention.

Izulu who took a break from academics, after his OND from Yaba College of Technology may just represents the daring characters in some of the young artists who can barely wait for full formal training to practicalise what has been acquired over a short period. “It’s an exhibition of my recent drawings, ink, graphite, and charcoal,” he enthused.

Nimi ought to be back in school for his HND, I guest demanded to know why the young artist chose to experiment with a career half way into his training. And just as his work lacked any sign of naivety, so was his explanation full of confidence. “Not now,” he said. “I plan to go back to school, but I prefer to have a wide experience before returning to school.”

Izulu’s Artist Statement: “There isn't a better way to express art, being my métier, than by simplicity. 'Dust and Strokes' is an expression of emotions which are strong feelings towards any area of life, and as humans we have different feelings towards different things. The emotions expressed in these works go beyond the common ones. They are of an unusual perspective, like that which I get while watching the news on tv, or while shuttling through town, or when in a social setting, or while celebrating at an event, or when reckoning on life. Both positive and negative emotions are combined to bring harmony between I, the artist, the scenario and the work. The title 'Dust and Strokes' itself represents mood, as it gotten from the effects produced by the mediums used. As a poet’s verses and stanza's express his moods and a musicians melodies relate to his theme that is how my idiosyncrasies are displayed in this exhibition.”  

         
  Izulu’s bio says he had his first solo exhibition at Alliance Francaise, December 2012. He is a prolific artist, who works in different genres of art, like sculpture, textiles and photography with several media, but has a flair for watercolor, charcoal and ink. His works display artistic freedom, proper understanding and dispensation of colors, depth of content and aesthetic beauty. In some works he desires his own voice to be silent and hopes to leave room for viewer interpretation and inspiration.

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