Recalling the luminous colour palette of Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night (1889), Courage is a prime example of Nigerian artist Oluwole Omofeme’s distinctive approach to portraiture, which has recently been celebrated in a successful solo show, A Woman’s Worth, hosted between 9 April – 22 May 2022 by Out of Africa Gallery in Barcelona. An important milestone in the artist’s career, Courage marks Omofeme’s auction debut of the artist’s work in Asia.

The artist in his studio, 2018
Image Courtesy of Arts and Culture Place

Rendered in vibrant oil and acrylic paint with clear, bold forms, Omofemi’s canvases exude feminine confidence and Afrocentric pride, creating a powerful celebration of Black women and their natural bodies. In Courage, the subject meets the viewers’ gaze with a defiant stare, her face framed by a halo of dark, afro styled hair. Believing that Western beauty standards have undermined the natural beauty of African women, the artist intentionally highlights her natural skin and hair, challenging the Westernised view of the Black body. Omofemi’s repertoire of similar portraits are evocative of the seminal days of the Black Power movement, recalling styles of African communities from the 1960s to 1980s that battled for agency and independence. Works like Courage are essential, representing an embrace of authenticity and identity through positive representation.

Fists in the air, attendees smile at the Revolutionary People's Party Constitutional Convention, Philadelphia, September 1970
Photographed by David Fenton and courtesy of Getty Images

Omofemi is one of Nigeria’s most exciting emerging artists, and his works have seen increasing international acclaim over the last few years. Represented by Signature African Art and Out of Africa Contemporary Art, his works have been honoured at numerous exhibitions, such as at the Nigerian National Museum and prestigious galleries in both Africa and Europe. This includes his solo show, In Our Days, hosted by Signature African Art in London (2021).
- Provenance
  Out of Africa Gallery, Barcelona
  Acquired from the above by the present owner