REWA

Ify

2020

The artist says of her artwork... Viewers largely label me under “Contemporary African Art”. I label my work as Igbo Vernacular Art. The reason for this is that I believe that I have...

REWA was born and raised between Nigeria and England and received a BSc. in Physiology and Pharmacology from University College London (UCL). She previously worked as the Head of Cor...

REWA was born and raised between Nigeria and England and received a BSc. in Physiology and Pharmacology from University College London (UCL). She previously worked as the Head of Cor...

REWA says of her work… Viewers largely label me under “Contemporary African Art”. I label my work as Igbo Vernacular Art. The reason for this is that I believe that I have created a truly original body of work that exists outside formal academic or Western dialogue. My art is drawn from life itself and deeply anchored in a place and culture from which it was derived. This is the Igbo culture pertaining to the Igbos of Nigeria. I think that this description is more accurate as it implies a unique iteration of customs and tradition, bound to a particular location and a particular people.  Igbo Vernacular Art is not to be mistaken with Folk Art, but rather, concerns itself with an expressive aesthetic that would be more commonly associated with Contemporary of Modern Art; form, composition and narrative. Vernacular dialects are anchored to a particular land, and in much the same way, my art contains a vocabulary that is built on a strong sense of place and is situated in a location and a history.  It is my hope that one day, my work will be included in art historical dialogue about Africa and specifically Nigeria, beyond the confines of the wide-reaching Contemporary African Art designation. ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ REWA was born and raised between Nigeria and England and received a BSc. in Physiology and Pharmacology from University College London (UCL). She previously worked as the Head of Corporate Development and Investor Relations...

REWA says of her work… Viewers largely label me under “Contemporary African Art”. I label my work as Igbo Vernacular Art. The reason for this is that I believe that I have created a...

REWA says of her work… Viewers largely label me under “Contemporary African Art”. I label my work as Igbo Vernacular Art. The reason for this is that I believe that I have created a...

Acrylic paint and ink on paper Hand-signed, dated and entitled lower right

Acrylic paint and ink on tracing paper Hand-signed and dated lower right

Acrylic paint and ink on paper Tondo (diameter 30 cm) Hand-signed and dated lower right

Acrylic paint and ink on canvas Hand-signed by the artist

The "Selfie" series is influenced by the obsession with social media in modern day society. Each painting has an abstract portrait of a person with a landscape of buildings and billboards. About Abhijit...

The painting presents a juxtaposition of looks and mindsets. The artist shows how urbanisation has worked on the dweller's mind. Although their appearance has not changed, the simplicity of their thoughts and actions are no longer there. Urbanisation has devoured them. About Abhijit Paul...