We Were There Painting

As an artist i believe one of my main jobs is to observe and document society. The women in the painting belong to one of many women groups in South Eastern Nigeria. As a rule, they attend any function held by a member of their group. These functions could be burials, weddings, etc. Once they arrive, they liven up the place with their music and their generally boisterous behavior, dancing around in circles. They would usually come dressed in the uniform peculiar to the group, which makes it easy to notice their activities. My aim is to carry the viewer into the atmosphere of the event. For the viewer to feel the pulse and the energy of the performance. It is this aim that always informs my use of oils, realism. So that one is carried beyond understanding form, into the crux of the matter. Life doing its thing right in front of our eyes.