Press Release
Group Show: Figuratively Speaking V
Ogirikan Gallery is proud to announce the launch of its latest online exhibition, Figuratively Speaking V, from Nov 15 through Dec 27, 2025. This vibrant virtual showcase brings together a diverse lineup of contemporary artists from around the world, offering a compelling exploration of figurative art—a genre defined by its use of recognizable forms to convey human stories, emotions, and experiences.
Figurative art has long held a central place in the history of visual culture. Across time and geography, artists have used the human form and familiar imagery to document life, express emotion, and reflect the world around them. Figuratively Speaking V pays tribute to this enduring tradition while highlighting the innovative ways today’s artists are interpreting figurative expression in a contemporary context.
“We are thrilled to present Figuratively Speaking V, a remarkable exhibition that brings together artists from diverse cultures to celebrate the power of figurative art,” says Adeolu Tahouf, curator at Ogirikan Gallery. “Through their artistic expressions, these talented individuals offer us a window into their world, inviting us to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the human form in new and inspiring ways.”
The exhibition features a curated group of international artists whose works span a wide range of styles, media, and perspectives. Drawing from their unique cultural and personal experiences, each artist contributes to a dynamic visual dialogue that speaks to the shared human experience.
In a time where digital access is more vital than ever, the online format of Figuratively Speaking V allows audiences around the globe to engage with the exhibition. Visitors can explore and collect works that examine not only the human figure, but also spaces and objects rendered in meaningful, recognizable ways.
By celebrating the universality of figurative forms, Figuratively Speaking V fosters dialogue, empathy, and connection across cultures—highlighting what unites us in a world of diverse expression.
DESTINY OYIBODE
Nigerian painter Destiny Oyibode always wanted to be an artist. He pursued this childhood dream at Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State, Nigeria, where he received his national diploma. However, his dream was suddenly interrupted—and nearly stopped altogether—by a severe illness that placed him in the hospital for a year.
Upon recovering from his illness, Oyibode returned to Auchi Polytechnic, completing his higher national diploma in painting in 2018. After briefly teaching visual arts at a secondary school, he now dedicates himself to painting full-time in his studio in Benin City, Nigeria.
IZUCHUKWU LUTHER AKUNNE
As a young and creative painter, (b. 1997), Luther’s artistic journey has led him to experiment with various mediums, creating captivating pieces. Not only is he an artist, but he is also an advocate for environmental and climate change issues. He actively contributes to reducing waste in the environment by transforming polluting plastics into artworks. Additionally, he serves as an art educator, guiding young artists in discovering and nurturing their passion, talent, and dreams through engaging creative activities. Through these endeavors, he promotes focus, concentration, and critical thinking among aspiring artists.
EDET UWEH
Rembrandt’s bright style and expert use of light inspired Edet Uweh’s work, which shows his love of Renaissance and Medieval masterworks. His use of strong value contrasts, harmonized hues, and powerful compositions reflects his ancestors’ style.
The artist’s vision is expressed in oil, his favored media. Its pliability and slow drying time allow Edet to directly connect with his materials, enabling an adventurous creative process. Due to need and invention, his precise drawings are now in pen and ink.
Edet Uweh’s story shows inventive tenacity despite all difficulties. His rise from early doodles to complex allegorical tales shows his dedication to global communication via art. As Uweh’s creative journey continues, his contributions deepen modern realism, establishing him as a rising star.
FATIMAH AKINDELE DAIRO
Fatimah Akindele Dairo popularly known as Timah Dairo is a female artist. Her paintings and images depict stories behind people’s situations, and she uses them to correct notions using facial expressions and illustrations. Her narrative themes are based on the reflection of societal beliefs and family traditions. Some are displayed in faces, while others are displayed in body posture.
She used crossed lines, known as cross-hatching style of painting, and realism as her technique, and she used acrylic paints, sometimes with fabrics, as her medium of painting. Most of the time, she used symbolism as a way of conveying her messages.
Hence, she used patterns and motifs of different mediums on the background of some of her works to create feelings, and also plain colors in others and perspective on some to create moods.
She was attracted to colors that gave her deep feelings, which she used on the body of her figures.
Her crossed lines had a unique texture that could be felt through her unique mixture of paints. She worked mainly on canvas with the use of brushes, ropes, palette knives, and other specialized tools to depict her paintings.
YAW BOATENG
Boateng, the painter, adeptly captures contemporary occurrences and societal trends, forging a distinctive artistic signature marked by an eclectic mix of media and techniques. His recent works delve into the vibrant tapestry of contemporary African cultures, drawing inspiration from the youth in Ghana’s fashion, entertainment, and sports scenes. Boateng employs live or internet models from these realms, infusing his art with elements of hip-hop, street, and Afro-pop cultures, notably Afrobeat music. His oeuvre serves as a celebration of youth, with a recent collection exploring the monochromatic effects of green to symbolize the “growth and vigor” of adolescence. Boateng’s precision in color manipulation creates a tranquil intensity, reflecting his anticipation of a dynamic future in the art world.
OMOTAYO AMBALI
Omotayo Ambali is a visual artist, with a visible passion for art at a tender age. He paints and draws human figures in their active or vulnerable moments. Omotayo is quite a controversial artist and sometimes loves to portray human habits that are publicly questioned or criticised. He works with a variety of medium such as acrylic paint, pastel, ink and graphite.
OLOLADE AJALA
Ololade Ajala is a contemporary Nigerian artist whose oil paintings celebrate identity, elegance, and self-expression. With a refined sense of color and composition, her work often portrays confident female figures in richly patterned clothing, set against stylized, geometric backdrops. In her piece Her Kind, Ajala presents a poised woman in a flowing floral dress, exuding quiet strength and grace. The presence of a small dog at her feet adds warmth and intimacy, highlighting themes of companionship and everyday beauty. Ajala’s work is a dialogue between tradition and modernity, capturing the spirit of African womanhood with a fresh, contemporary lens.
KESA BABATUNDE
Kesa Babatunde’s artistic practice is driven by an unyielding curiosity and an exploration of human struggles in all their forms. He considers his artworks to be beacons of hope for those who encounter them, particularly individuals facing adversity in contemporary society. Consequently, his work delves into intersectional themes encompassing classism, hope, struggle, societal expectations, social injustices, and the significance of timing.
Through bold and expressive color strokes intertwined with abstract emotions, he embarks on a journey of self-expression that captures the essence of human existence. This allows him the freedom to convey the challenges and triumphs encountered as individuals, while emphasizing the possibilities for breaking free from the constraints that hinder progress. Ultimately, his art aims to inspire and cultivate a positive mindset amidst adversity.
IMOMOH ASEMOKHA
Asemokha Edgar Imomoh is a Nigerian born artist. His works straddle the line between abstraction and figuration, a style he has continually sought to reinvent and redefine. His works feature contrasting hues, textures, and text to convey a dramatic message about a society in transition. He believes that the artist and his creation are two conversing entities that must listen to one another in order to achieve a surface equilibrium.
UBONG ETTEBONG
A recent recipient of a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from the University of Uyo, Ubong’s artistic endeavors manifest a profound engagement with his immediate and past environs.
Ettebong perceives art as both a gift and a conduit to establish connections with the world. Within the realm of his paintings, he systematically delves into themes of self-discovery, self-realization, freedom, equality, and inner-happiness. With a deliberate intention, he aspires for his artworks to exert emotional and psychological influence upon the audience, thereby contributing to a nuanced discourse within the realm of visual expression.
OPEYEMI JOHNSON ADETOKUN
Opeyemi Johnson Adetokun is a Lagos-based expressionist painter born on March 23, 2000, in Eruwa town, Oyo State. Opeyemi’s artistic journey began in secondary school, leading him to pursue formal training at Ipara Polytechnic, Eruwa, where he earned an OND, and later at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, where he obtained an HND in Painting. Through his bold and emotive works, Opeyemi tells powerful stories of human struggles and hope, captivating audiences with his vivid expressions. Driven by the belief that art has the ability to heal and transform, Opeyemi’s creative process is a deeply personal journey of self-discovery and empathy. His art has been featured in notable exhibitions such as the +234 Art Fair by Soto Art Gallery, Life in My City at Thought Pyramid Gallery, and Residence and Exhibition by Integration Art Palace. Opeyemi’s art continues to evolve, illuminating the human experience.