Fidelis Izekor Familiar Patterns: A World Reflected Through Textile and Ornamentation 

‘If you look close enough you will discover the rhythm of patterns that morph to create the world around us. These patterns and unique shapes display a complexity of rhythms, shapes, and color. Each tells a story and relays a message of culture, nationality, family, and nature.

Oil and occasionally acrylic paint is used in creating compositions that are symbolic of the experiences of my life. I create portraits typically of black bodies; rendering friends, family, and other subjects from photographs of my own along with photographers like Shaw Theodore, Prince Gyasi, Lakin Ogunbanwo, and Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire’s picture, “Johnny Mad Dog”. Each exploring their themes; the weather being Family dynamics, fashion, individuality, culture, and politics. These themes are addressed with a main figure and pattern.

Bright and saturated colors are used to emphasize the color palettes used in many West African textiles. To me, flowers are some of the most beautiful things in nature. I use floral patterns to symbolize beauty in the composition. I believe every aspect of our lives, even the most traumatic, can be showcased in elaborate and stunning ways; ways that allow us to reflect and appreciate all that life ushers. Flowers help me understand and bring out that beauty through patterning.

The Pattern and textile creations allow me to dive into the world of fashion as well; employing the tradition of West African culture; specifically, the important role that fashion plays in Nigerian culture. It becomes a pathway that allows me to elaborate on a piece of clothing and person. The different rhythms of patterns can then be used to symbolize, explain, and elaborate on the stories and narratives I strive to relay in these compositions.

Every moment that led up to creating these pieces was a moment of reflection and realization with every brushstroke bringing healing and understanding.”

Jonathon Lee Shannon Reverse Reality: The Flip of Reality

“My work explores the relationship between abstraction, impressionism, cubism, surrealism, and expressionism. With influences like Matisse, Van Gogh, Dali, Picasso, De Kooning and Cezanne, I’ve developed a concept to see the world through a new lens called Reverse Reality. I see the world in two basic forms, organic and geometric. In my work these forms are reversed through the process of painting all organic forms like people, trees, etc. into geometric shapes and all geometric forms like buildings, cars, man-made objects organic. This gives me a way to push the boundaries of how we see life and challenge the viewer’s perspective through the application of paint.”