Idehen, 2022

Barnabas Macauley  

Macaulay Barnabas Osagie is a self-taught Artist and a graduate of the prestigious University of Benin, Nigeria, West Africa. Hailed from Benin heritage, which is known for its rich history, culture, and traditions. Growing up, He was fascinated by esthetics as a form of expression; this propelled his journey into the world of art. His passion for art began at the age of five, scribbling images on the ground using sticks—it evolved into drawings in primary and secondary schools. He was often selected among students to represent my secondary school in various art competitions.

"Knowing that Art fuels my existence and helps me connect with the world better, in 2018, I decided to not only do art for love and relief, but to explore it professionally, and build a renowned career in the industry. One that reflects my views on societal issues and serves as an echo of hope. Determined to pay my dues, I had the privilege of working at Prince Saheed Adelakun's Olokun Art Studio in Abule-Egba, Lagos. It was there I met with other professionals. I created my first series titled "Odan Series"; which was expressed via hyperrealism. I created this series at the point when my life was in shambles; I was going through a rough phase; working on this series was my solace at the time.

"Over the years, I have created brilliant artworks using charcoal and pencil on paper and have evolved using acrylic and charcoal on canvas as my primary media of visual articulation; these works take various forms and for various purposes, all a reflection of my creativity and depth. I am drawn to figurative African contemporary art and surrealism. That is because the human mind is made up of both the conscious and the subconscious. So, I believe there's no better way to do works that speaks of both other than via figurative African contemporary art and surrealism. Most of my surrealistic expressions are done via drawings using charcoal and paper as my primary mediums. I employ the mixed media approach using both charcoal and acrylic on canvas in my figurative African contemporary expressions. I love the interjection of the two opposite polar elements the dryness of charcoal and the wetness of acrylic bring. They represent the dynamism of life and how contrasting factors shape us into who we are. I love to tell stories; both the ones that are consciously relatable via contemporary works and the ones that are subconsciously relatable via surrealistic pieces. I hope to invoke thoughts and emotions through my art. I want every viewer to not just see my art but to also see themselves; my art is a mirror of who they are. One of the beauties of life is to be understood and that is exactly what I want my art to invoke in anyone. I'm interested in conversations surrounding African history, identity, evolution, leadership, and a bit of politics.