Art of 'Internal Conflicts Resolution' Through Adeshina's Canvas

Ademola Adeshina

When next policy makers need to do things differently in solving issues of co-existence, they need to see what Ademola Adeshina brings forth in his paintings.

Coming from textile design background, Adeshina implores quite some
painting of textured patterns to render his thoughts on the chosen theme.

He showed at Weave&Co Gallery's 'New Possibilities' series art exhibitions, which took off last  February. As the third artist in the series, Adeshina showed a new body of work titled Internal Conflicts, showing at Moor House Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos. The 'New Possibilities', an initiative of curator at Moor House, Ora Ataguba opened with Chike Onuorah's  Press for Progress and followed by Festus Ogwu's Freedom, both at the same venue.

For Adeshina's Internal Conflicts, most of his works are rendered in human themes, of which he applies stylised figural  representation. Among such paintings in acrylic on canvas are Beyond Borders, One People and Reflective Mood, for examples. For art afficianados and connoisseurs who are familiar with Moor House's exhibitions, Adeshina shouldn't be a strange name after showing Void to Form, few years ago. This time, the artist takes a bit of the designs and patterns-dominated textures of his last show into Internal Conflict.

While Reflective Mood relies on geometric technique to emboss a lone figural image from the hues of cubes across the canvas, Beyond Borders derives its strength from the artist's moulding-like texture of the crowded, but unified figures of diverse cultures. And flaunting his rich oeuvre, the artist brings a different form in human figural representation in One People. Encircling the people in an oval-shaped border, perhaps lifts the title of the painting.

"Without a doubt, the human mind is the most awesome creation of Divinity", Adeshina  notes. "Mankind has been given the ability to think, to reason and above all, endowed with the power of choice as to which one can focus and feed on either positive or negative thoughts. He argues that the  choice of decisions to make rests in the powers of man to either generate conflict or cohession.

Painting titled Reflective Mood (36 x 36), 2018 by Ademola Adeshina.

The exhibition, he says,  therefor represents  everyday life expression, featuring over 20 paintings in oil and acrylic.
 Adeshina is though among quite a number of self-taught artists making strong  contemporary statements in Nigeria, he however has something working well for him in his choice of style and technique. His background in textile design, he admits "cannot be  overlooked" in strengthening his works. He cites, for examples two paintings titled Dialogue and Adam & Eve - among the new body of works - "as products of the influence of textile education".

He also explains how his art "painstakingly employs pointillism" to reproduce textile-textured surface such as in the tone of "dyed or printed fabrics, using patterns".  And for richer contents, the textile design style  appropriates African - specifically Yoruba  culture in concept.

Apart from the rich aesthetics of the two paintings, they actually articulate the central theme of the exhibition. "The two works share similar colour scheme, and portray human relationship in everyday life."

Excerpts from his Artist Statemennt: "Beholding his diverse styles of painting, one could deduce that Adeshina's mind is full of unending ideas, and his unquenchable desire to explore these ideas makes him delve into painting in different styles.

"Beyond abstraction, the artist also explores his interest in figure study. Although tilting towards stylization due to the minimal detailing on the figure, the work Reflective Mood shows the artists' draughtsmanship. The work portrays a seated male figure in deep thought, rendered in colourful hues that suggests that the thought is beautiful.
On the whole, Adesina’s meticulousness is evident, with the works showing the quality time spent in thoughtful exploration. Well detailed both in colours and forms, the works evoke an enjoyable tingling sensation in the viewers. The theme of “internal conflict” is appreciated in the multiplicity of styles used by the artist to express his musings and internal beauty".
 -Tajudeen Sowole.