Adventure (I)

Done with a collage of metal foils, Adventure I shows different scenes of human events and activities and is very typical of Onobrakpeya’s rendition style. The piece takes viewers on a journey through different scenes of societal life, social and political interaction, history, religious worship, migration, ceremonies etc as it tells a mind-engaging story of these activities in a traditional Nigerian setting. On the first scene at the top left corner, one finds figures depicting two men and a woman dressed in the native attire sitting and conversing with two other men formally dressed like Europeans, probably depicting the early advent of the British missionaries in the local communities. On another scene, one sees the influence of Christianity in the land as an angel reveals himself to probably a local convert sitting on the floor in what looks like a dungeon with both arms bound in ropes, staring in awe at the apparition. Another scene shows a man dressed like a foreigner with a bag across his body taking a photograph of a beautiful and elegantly dressed native woman carrying a pot on her head while a young boy in shorts can be seen dancing and having fun on a tree on another scene. A man can be seen paddling a canoe in a river with his wife sitting and tending to the baby in her arms on one scene while another man carrying a boy on his shoulders can be seen traveling with his own family in the company of their tacked horse on another scene. The detailing of the entire work is extraordinary as Onobrakpeya shows his ability to use his etching skills to give life to all the forms and characters depicted in a very unique style. A complete walkthrough of the work is indeed an “Adventure” for all art lovers.