Victor Ehikhamenor: Daydream Esoterica

A look at the artist as a conscious contemporary nomad living, leaving and thriving in a city.

What I See When I Dream of You (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

Daydream Esoterica

“Daydream Esoterica”, is a solo exhibition of new paintings and installation by multifaceted, inter- nationally renowned visual artist Victor Ehikhamenor. The body of work in the series takes an introspective look at the artist as a conscious contemporary nomad living, leaving and thriving in a city that feeds its inhabitants’ dreams and frustrations and by its sheer nature demands that in order to survive – one must daydream. 

The Lucid Dreamer of Hallowed Beliefs (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

An artist of great versatility and a visual polyglot, Ehikhamenor employs the use of various materials in his artistic production.

Revered Dream Sellers of Lagos (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

His medium is never limited to acrylic, pencil or charcoal on paper/ canvas, bronze – it spans to arresting installation pieces made with Catholic prayer rosaries as primary material as well as his peculiar perforation on paper technique.

Believer of Incredible Reveries (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

This exhibition takes a different turn as it is the first time that the artist would predominantly use oil as a medium in all his works. The result compliments the richness and depth of the exhibition’s narrative.

We The People and Other Dreamers (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

The central work in the exhibition is the large scale painting “We the people and other dreamers." The title of the painting borrows from the introductory statement of the United State Constitution’s fundamental purpose and guiding principles. In the same vein, the painting acts as an introduction to the city of Lagos.

An abstract figuration piece, the work is at first deceptive of its announcement as it incorporates light colours such as pastel yellow and light blues suggesting Lagos as a composed city. On closer look, the painting unravels itself, revealing layers of individual personalities which Ehikhamenor uses as a backdrop for the rest of the body of work.

Daydreamers Paradise (Dream for free) (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

Also central to the exhibition is the site specific installation “Day- dreamer’s Paradise made from thousands of plastic sunglasses, reminiscent of what children wear on special occasions such as Christmas day and birthdays. Here, Ehikhamenor dips his hand in a nostalgic bag of his childhood to retrieve past and present memory and invite his viewers to take on a dreamlike journey with him.

Interpreter of Deferred Reveries (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

The exhibition bridges a harmonious dialogue between the city and its dwellers and celebrates the interconnectedness that makes Lagos a dreamland.

Priest of Chaste Reveries (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

It is one part an acknowledgment of the vibrancy of Lagos, and another part homage, to the unbreakable spirit of the inhabitants that often have to navigate between various levels of tensions and yet, make it home.

7 Virgins (Delusional Dream) (Septych) (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

As human beings we are constantly encountering ourselves and devising conversations in the mind, Ehikhamenor has extracted certain false realities we create in our minds and brings them to light through distinctive motifs, symbols and elements in bold colors, eyes wide open, windows/doors across each piece thereby offering a confrontation of self-reflection in a frenzied city.

Gallery View (2019) by Victor EhikhamenorRele Arts Foundation

Credits: Story

Victor Ehikhamenor
Angels and Muse | Nigeria

Rele Arts Foundation | Rele Gallery
Onikan, Lagos, Nigeria

For more information visit www.rele.co

Exhibit created by
Rele Gallery | Rele Arts Foundation

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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