Audio version Enriched by the healing power of the protective stone onyx, the woman's glare bore through my soul. Her pride immediately permeating every fibre of my body as all negative feelings drained from my bone marrow. Despite the fact that her eyes were covered by her bold BLACK branded glasses, flattering her black lacquered face, the joy of being a highly melanated woman radiated from her irises. Adorned with a crown of ankara, embellished with the symbols of womanhood in violet, rose and honey, tied expertly, accentuating her african features, she captivated me. Mesmerized, I stared back, seeing my reflection in the sleekness of her oil-like skin. The reflection of a strong african woman, overwhelmed by the beauty of her skin. One not tarnished by the shame of belonging to a place once incorrectly branded the 'Dark Continent', but instead a woman glowing, radiating, brimming with gratitude, face fringed with a mane of pride.
Who had created this wonder? I thought as I noticed that my habitual Instagram scrolling had been unconsciously brought to a halt. The answer lay one light finger tap away. Affen Oluwasegun Ojo: a contemporary artist passionate about telling unique African stories through art. Moved by how affected I was by the sight of this masterpiece, I immediately enquired about acquiring the work. I needed, as a matter of urgency, this poignant reminder of the beauty of my melanin. A short conversation ensued and before I knew it, this onyx ornament was on a flight from Nigeria over to my home to embellish my walls.
Two years later and the Instagram page of Affen Oluwasegun Ojo is full of striking celebrations of black femininity: faces fashioned from sleek oil-like ebony and onyx paint, mirroring the radiance of melanin in sunlight. Each portrait invigorated by a brightly coloured pasting of ankara, printed with stories passed down generation to generation, holding the key to the codes of a culture. Each portrait paying homage to a black beauty. Each portrait a gift from artist to mankind.
Wanting to know more about the man behind the mixed media portraits, we sat down with him to find out where his journey began, what inspires him and what his hopes are for the future.
Where did your journey begin?
I started by drawing cartoons. There was a popular show here in Nigeria back when I was in primary school called Supa Strikas, I used to draw the characters from it. I also copied other animations like Tom and Jerry, Mickey Mouse and Teletubbies, drawing them on paper. Then,
I think there was one time my parents were seeing what I was drawing and they thought let's look for somewhere to enroll him so he can learn more about art. I think my dad met an artist by roadside, and he took me there to check it out and see if I was cool with it. Soon after I started going there for lessons. But I wasn’t taught all the things I know now. I was taught other things like print and press and stencil cutting. I really wanted to paint, but I didn’t get that practice there.
So how did you get to where you are now?
I started checking out Youtube and the work of other artists. I started to get inspired. Then in 2015 I started drawing celebrities. I’ve painted Davido and Skibby and other celebrities in Nigeria. I’d give them the paintings and they’d give me shout outs on their instagram pages and that’s when I started getting attention. Soon people were starting to give me commissions, paying me to paint them. At that point I thought I’d keep drawing celebrities for the rest of my life.
Now though, you don’t only paint celebrities, what caused that change?
I decided to start working on my own personal projects - something that people could buy and put into their houses. I wanted to create a project that people could remember me by when I’m gone. I wanted these pieces to reflect me, where I come from- the culture, the traditions and the tribes. I wanted to infuse these things into my paintings so that people can get really familiar with my work.
How did your personal project evolve?
When I first started working on the personal project, I lost my mum- before I could find my own rhythm. I think after I lost my mum I found some of her fabrics. The ones she had worn on her head. I started keeping them, at this point I didn’t know they’d become part of my work, I was just keeping them so I had something to remember my mum by. She was the inspiration behind the first ever project I did which was titled Mama Africa. I used a little bit of her ankara for the head wrapper. The whole skin [of the woman in the painting] was black. I wanted it to represent part of me. I’m black, Africa is where I come from. Through this painting I showed my culture.
What else has inspired your work?
Lots of things but mainly my background, where I come from, the things we practice here in Africa. Even if I’ve never visited the whole of Africa, I know what’s going on. I read about the different cultures, the way people put on their dresses, what their weddings are like, the life of the children, the government structures. I’m inspired by what I see about Africa. But I’m particularly fascinated by the fabric and the ways it’s worn. When I see images of Africans, I look at the fabric. It’s either wrapped around them, or it’s being used to aid carrying something like a bowl of fruit- these are the things I look at that inspire me.
What does the fabric in your work signify?
The patterns on the fabrics tell stories and from what I have learnt there are so many fabrics for almost every African country. Now whenever I'm painting someone for example from Yoruba, there will be something distinguishing that tells you that they're from this tribe. I also work with the patterns, the lines and the colours in the fabric. They help me bring life to the paintings. Because I'm painting in black and white, the fabric helps me introduce myself as a man of colour. Also If we think back to the past with black and white TV and a future being colour TV, my work shows what's now and what's to come through the fabric.
I notice that you paint pictures of beautiful women. How do you choose your muses?
This is a tough one. You know I see a lot of people almost everyday and and I get to see different women. They are all made differently: shape of their face; their beauty; the skin tone the eyes; the lips. I always find it so difficult selecting who to paint. But now, what I actually do before I paint is get my story right. Then I can think this is the kind of woman I want to depict in my painting. Then I start looking for her. As soon as I see one I know that she's the right one. It's important for me to put my creativity into it. I'm not just going to paint your picture without telling a story. That's why at times I have to keep looking even if it takes me months. I have the idea in my head this is the story now I need to find the person that completes the piece. At times I won't even be looking, I'll just come across it. I don't think I choose them necessarily, I think they choose me.
Do you always share your paintings with your muse?
Yes and about 90% of them really loved it. They send DMs saying 'I love that'. Some will also share my work on their Instagram pages. I often have people coming to my page saying I want you to do something like this for me. That's what I want. I want everyone to want that painting.
How instrumental has Instagram been in your success?
I think if it wasn't for Instagram I'd be a roadside artist. It'd be very hard for me to push my own narratives here. I'd still be be trying to do my thing out there, but with Instagram I post something and art pages will repost my paintings and through hashtags people have discovered me and my paintings.
What has the reaction been to your artwork?
100 percent positive because I'm sure about what I'm putting out there. I get good reviews, likes and comments, and some people will come to my DMs and say we want more of this. Everything I'm getting is just positive.
What do you think of the current contemporary African art scene?
I think the contemporary artist in Africa, we've taken over already. We are dominating everywhere, every corner of the world. That's just what I've seen. I'm not going to say anymore on that. I've watched my colleagues here and I've seen what they're working on. Some of them are doing exhibitions in Sweden, London, The US. From Africa! We're all trying to put Africa on the map. I think we're taking over that's just what I've seen.
Do you think that you as a contemporary African artists from Nigeria have a responsibility to portray Africa and black people positively?
Yes! I think so. You know, I'm actually doing it for my country, doing it for my own family, doing it for my friends, doing it for my supporters and I'm actually doing it for myself. Looking back, having these thoughts in your mind that a lot of people are depending on you even if you don't know they're depending on you, you just have to know that you've got to represent where you come from in the right way. We have a lot of people trying to represent us where I come from in every part of the world. In the entertainment industry you have people like Davido that they're doing great for Africa and Nigeria and I'd love to be part of these people in my own way.
What are your hopes for the future?
I still want to collaborate with certain people. I want to have an art school where I can teach people and where people can come to express themselves with painting. I want to work with galleries and I just want to do a lot of things.
The future for me is actually now it's not then because what I do now will be waiting for me over there. Example, I may have done a painting and for four years it's stored in my house. Definitely, at some point, there's one event that's going to come up and I'm going to get a call saying we'd accepted your painting for something. The same painting that's been sitting in my home for nearly 5 years. If I hadn't done that painting where would I be? That's why for me the future is right now.
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