At the Garden of Eden

The Asele Period (1958-1966) of Uche Okeke’s career was very significant and marked by a holistic exploration of local indigenous traditions of his Igbo people and expression with European techniques: this was the idea behind the “Natural Synthesis” philosophy of the Zaria Art society. Besides their their respective indigenous cultures and traditions and visualizing them through the mirror of art, members of the society also explored other contemporary themes of religion, politics, society etc which were beyond the scope of their local indigenous ideologies and captured them with their unique styles.

At the Garden of Eden was inspired by a notable biblical theme, the temptation of Eve by the serpent in the book of Genesis 3:1-13. Uche Okeke delves into this religious topic, making an abstract imagination and expression of the mood of the characters in the scriptural passage using the uli style of representation.