The exhibition of paintings titled “Light Resolutions” by Akeem Adeleke, which addresses Nigeria’s hydra-headed electricity supply problem, could not have come at a better time. The public opening at Legacy Empire Gallery, which began on November 20, 2022, will continue until November 24, 2022.
Curator Mathew Oyedele writes beautifully about the theme that strikes at the heart of Nigeria’s problem – darkness, the darkness that originated in people’s minds and resulted physically in the failure of the electricity supply.
“Nigeria may be Africa’s colossus, but one of its most serious problems is erratic power supply,” writes Oyedele. “This lack of power has paralyzed economic activity and hampered economic development. Adeleke’s exploration of the theme of power outages continues after the artist’s journey to investigate Nigeria’s electricity problem.”
In this body of work, he explores the themes of epileptic electricity, resolution, class struggle, and human relationships. The first section, divided into two parts, delves into Nigeria’s history, with the artist metaphorically highlighting the failure of the electricity sector and its impact on the average citizen’s daily life through the confrontation of light and darkness.
Each piece in this section explains how the struggle for electricity affects the masses and the country’s overall economic development. Adeleke is interested in how we can solve problems as a country and what can serve as a catalyst for the energy sector’s future.
In the third section, the artist investigates horses as metaphors for strength, forward movement, progress, and power. The audience is invited to enter the space and share stories about social issues, solutions, human relationships, and psychology.
When asked about his career as an artist, his theme, and what inspires him, exhibiting artist Akeem Adeleke says, “I want people to see beyond the images I paint. I can’t see past the horizon. Only the supreme God has the ability to see beyond the horizon.”
“I trained both as an apprentice in 1992 and in school,” Adeleke says. He studied fine art, with a double major, at the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Ogun State, graduating in 2004. Philosophizing his career, Adeleke says, “Artists express themselves in many ways – talking, writing, poetry, singing, etc. I express myself through painting.”
Akeem also says that he found out that artists choose themes as objects of their thought and work, themes like the oceans, animals, or aspects of life. “I chose to make the problems of Nigeria my country my own theme – the problem of electricity.” The electricity problem in Nigeria, the artist says, “is a big problem I want to be a thing of the past. I am prophesying with my painting that the problem of darkness shall come to pass in Nigeria.”
Akeem Adeleke, known for his meticulous depictions of Nigerian landscapes, is a futuristic artist with a vision and direction. His luminous and detailed landscapes express his vision for his country, even if they are opposed to Nigerian reality.
