With a desire to make another statement on the art scene, Mufu Onifade and his group recently opened this year’s exhibition, Araism Movement 5 at the Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The group comprises Oludotun Popoola, Abiola Mautin Akande, Jobnathan Ikpoza, Abolore Awojobi, Oluwan be Amodu, Esther Emmanuel and Babatunde Jimoh.

Others are George Egunjobi, Bolarinwa Olowolabayaki, Adeyeye Taiwo, Akinwunmi Akinsola, Kesa Babatunde and Stephen Oni.

Representing its fifth outing, the movement, which was created between 1989 and 1996 was launched with a solo exhibition in 1998. Since then, the group has consistently held other exhibitions while followers continue to grow.
The exhibition apart from commemorating the 10th anniversary of the movement, which was slated for last year also satisfies this year’s artistic feast.

Described as an authentic African painting technique because its philosophy is deeply rooted in African culture, Araism, according to Sinmidele Ogunsanya, Curator, Mydrim Gallery, said, involves the process of painting different shades and tones with a palette knife as opposed to brush on canvas laid on a flat surface. The artist’s skill manifests when the desired effect of a fragmented artwork similar to a complex jigsaw puzzle is finally created.

For Mufu Onifade, founder of Araism movement, “Araism is a dogged artistic development arising from technical exploration and creative composition of tiny units of irregular shapes to create strokes that result in aesthetic projection of active shapes and meaningful forms. These tiny units of irregular palette-knife strokes are painstakingly arranged to produce shapes that truly define forms. The result may appear in what looks like a jig-saw puzzle or what some described as mosaic effect.”
The medium of all the exhibiting works is acrylic on different sizes of canvas. Each is uniquely produced and makes diverse statements.

In the work, entitled Iroke, by Mufu Onifade, the artist uses a jingle bell to symbolically relay divine messages through sounds. The sounds send signals of clarity to the vision, which Orunmila must reveal. Iroke also reinforces the devotees’ faith in sacredness and spirituality.
Oludotun Popoola’s Arewa (the Beautiful one) presents the portrait of a woman. She is beautiful both outwardly as well as within.

Iya Takun Wale (From Hiding) by Abiola Mautin Akande belongs to the African anthology on tortoise. The artwork tells the story of famine in the animal kingdom. It was so severe that every animal sacrificed its mother for food but the dog hid his own in the moon and used a secret rope to reach and feed her. The tortoise discovered the rope and capitalised on it, but the dog’s mother deceived him and drop the rope while the tortoise was climbing up. The tortoise fell and shattered his back into pieces.

Also, Ile La Ti Nkeso Rode (Charity Begins From Home) by Jonathan Ikpoza, portrays that moral discipline that is instilled in a child at home is a path to proper management of wealth. Whereas an undisciplined child is bound to filter away wealth, the trained one would manage it. The message of the piece is “teach your child the way of God and enjoy peaceful rest at old age.”

Abolore Awojobi’s E Go Betta tells story of two men sitting on one spot. They are both comrades in squalor, partners in neglect and professionals without professional pay. The two mutual friends usually rest at the same spot after the day’s work. While one uses knowledge to nurture the society, the other ensures outmost security of the same society yet they are both neglected by the same society.

Bogiri O Lanu (Cracks To Harbour) by Oluwanbe Amodu is about openings. Those cracks on the wall definitely give way to the lizards to penetrate. But the absence of such a crack or opening keeps lizards at bay. Also, in a relationship, prevention of undue crack ensures the union’s sustainability and longevity.
In Babatunde Jimoh’s, Cherished Pride, a mother baths her child with scarce commodity called water. Despite the fact that getting good water in some areas of the country i.e Auchi, is difficult, water is used generously to refresh and reveal innocent beauty of the cherished child.

In the same vein, Esther Emmanuel’s Sleeping On Duty is about a sleeping woman while trading. Here, the body is willing but the heart is in total surrender to nature’s call. This shows that there is a time for everything. A duty should not be unduly overstretched.

George Egunjobi’s piece, Adura Nii Gba (Power of Prayer), stresses that man’s belief in spirituality is the beginning of reckoning with one’s limitation. Prayer is employed to change the course of man’s life from negative to positive.

While Stephen Oni’s Pride Of An African Woman depicts a woman plaiting another’s hair as one of the oldest modes of sustaining fashion and the pride of virtuous women in Africa, Adeyeye Taiwo Child’s Play, is about children playing their popular old game, hide and seek.

Amo (Clay) and O O Deko, O O M’ Eyo(Eyo, True Lagos) are works by Kesa Babatunde. Just as clay is an obedient servant in the hands of a potter, God also uses man like the clay to achieve His desired goal. On the other hand, Eyo, the sparkling white masquerade comes to public glare occasionally. It is the pride of Lagos and anyone who visits Lagos and does not experience the masquerade is yet to know the true Lagos.

Bolarinwa Olowolabayaki’s Pride Of A Race portrays the rich lifestyles of the Northerners. The Fulanis are proud of their nomadic life. Call them the herdsmen or the man from the North or the denominator of the seat of power, the Fulani could rear his cows and feed the entire nation.

Akinwunmi Akinsola’ Next Two Days is about women weaving mats. The work provides a statement that hard work doesn’t kill, rather, it makes one strong and responsible. Motherhood goes beyond child rearing. It entails working hard within the scope of a vocation that is entirely feminine. In the piece of work, the mats must be woven and ready in two days in respect of deadline.

Mr. Abiodun Olaku, Vice President, Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria, observed that, the uncanny and rare ability to breathe spiritual life into every piece of work through the process that virtually relies on graphic dexterity is worthy of note.
“By any standard considering the Nigerian socio-political/economic environment, this is no mean feat,” he stated.
He said the range of works in this style produced by Mufu Onifade from inception has excelled on a premise of competence and mastery, thereby building up a retinue of admirers, patrons and followers.