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GELE: Vintage and Modern Print
United Kingdom
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Fine Art Paper
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12 x 9 in ($42)
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White ($80)
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About The Artwork
Gele is the head piece usually worn by women across Africa for day-to-day activities and on special occasions. O. Yemi is using “GELE – Vintage and Modern” as a metaphorical image to spotlight changes in African culture in this modern day. The art of tying Gele is disappearing like other traditional skills and many modern African young ladies are disadvantaged. As in his recent painting, looking through the window, O. Yemi placed the Nigerian National Theatre building, one of the noticeable landmarks in Lagos, Nigeria, where Gele is popularly worn at the background of this painting. On the foreground is the picture of the artist’s mother on the left side of the table which is archetypical of the vintage era when ladies took pride in having the skills to tie their own geles literarily and figuratively. It was an era when women took pride in been able to feed their family. On the opposite side is the image of a modern lady made up in O. Yemi usual style of Rose and thorns dressed in modernised Africans’ wear. Few modern Africa ladies have learnt the skill of tying their own Gele. In front of this modern Lady on the table is a tablet with Pinterest fashion page from which some African ladies choose their fashion styles. The blouse of the modern lady in this painting is less than half the size of the blouses worn by African women in the vintage years. The skills of tying Gele as well as other cultural attributes that used to be the pride of African women are disappearing. This painting is an homage to the artist’s mother and to all the industrious African mothers of the vintage years. They spent quality time with their children while working to support their families. They carried their children on their backs while working on the farm or managing their trading stalls. The artist’s mum carried her child on her back and on her head are the clothes she sells from door to door to provide for her family. It is great that modern African ladies could boast of having billions of followers and likes on social media but the only sincere followers and likes that really count are those of the members of their families. Modern African women, be virtuous women. Embrace the modern trends but don’t neglect the rich virtues of African heritage.
Details & Dimensions
Print:Giclee on Fine Art Paper
Size:12 W x 9 H x 0.1 D in
Size with Frame:17.25 W x 14.25 H x 1.2 D in
Frame:White
Ready to Hang:Yes
Packaging:Ships in a Box
Shipping & Returns
Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.
Handling:Ships in a box. Art prints are packaged and shipped by our printing partner.
Ships From:Printing facility in California.
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United Kingdom
O. Yemi Tubi - An Artist and Advocate for the world’s Peace. I am a Nigerian-born, American-trained Artist residing in the United Kingdom an artist with a unique personal style. Most of my recent paintings were influenced by the political and social upheaval of our world today and the works of Renaissance artists. “A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art” so said Paul Cezanne; I was moved by emotion to do most of my political and socially influenced paintings “THE EAGLE HAS LANDED” was done to speak about the American-led war on terror. My painting “THE BLEEDING ROSES” was done in solidarity with Christians beheaded by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. I used my paintings “AFRICAN’T”, “HUNGER IN THE LAND OF PLENTY” and “OIL: AFRICANS’ WEALTH AND WOE” to speak about the exploitation of African nations. The Painting depicts paradoxical poverty and the riches of Africa. my work, “THE FISHERS OF MEN” is about the horror of refugees drowning in the Mediterranean Sea. I also used my painting – “UKRAINE: THE UNFORTUNATE BRIDE” to speak about the America and Russia-influenced war in Ukraine. I desire my portrait paintings to be uniquely creative. I do not copy images from pictures. I create what the camera cannot create. I use portrait paintings to tell the stories about my subjects and often use my subjects’ professions to create their portraits as I did with the portrait of Professor Wole Soyinka, 1986 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature in my painting “SOYINKA: An Africans’ Literary Icon”, I used artist materials to create my painting “PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST” and I used the violin to create the face of my subject in the “THE VIOLINIST” My works progress from political paintings to paintings of the facts of the life of people. The theme of my works, in general, is "The Facts of Life: Roses and Thorns." Life is roses and thorns; sometimes it emanates the sweet aroma of pleasantness and sometimes it pricks and causes pains. I often use Roses and Thorns for portrait paintings of the facts of the life of people. I first used Roses and Thorns in my political painting “THE BLEEDING ROSES.” Since then I have adopted this floral iconography style - Roses and Thorns as my unique style in some of my paintings like “DOMESTIC ABUSE”, and “MY MOTHER, Her Majesty Platinum Jubilee: Her Rosy Reign” to name a few. Roses are for achievements and other positive parts of life and Thorns are painful challenges and negative parts of life.
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