Current Exhibition

Our fourth Art competition “Animals” started in May 2021 and concluded on June 10, 2021. Art Room Gallery received entries from many countries around the world: USA, Germany, Canada, Italy, France, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Colombia, Japan, South Korea, United Kingdom, Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic. The Animals theme in this competition included a diversity in types, styles and mediums (oil on canvas, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, charcoal, graphite, photography, digital). The following evaluation criteria has been used for judging the artwork: creativity, interpretation of the theme, originality and quality of art, overall design, demonstration of artistic ability, and usage of medium. Jury decided to select 118 artworks for inclusion in the exhibition. Aside from First, Second, and Third place Jury also presented Merit awards and Honorable Mention awards.

Thank you, and enjoy the exhibition!

Statement:

Creating avian art in graphite requires strong knowledge of avian anatomy and behavior. Without the romance of color, the artist has only line, shape, and value to portray a realistic bird/s. As a vignette, Got a Grip on Things is largely an anatomical portrayal of an osprey with fresh catch. But it is this quintessential behavior of the osprey which is the subject of the work. The sight of an osprey, atop of stump, clutching a fresh catch, evokes an emotion - regret for the fish, but appreciation for what it takes to survive as an avian predator. Take Flight depicts motion and cacophony, and relies on design more than accuracy of the depiction of any one bird. This work is about that breath-taking moment when a field of shore birds suddenly departs, in unison, in fear, in reaction to a distressing sound and/or motion.

Statement:

Taiwo Isimi popularly known as ISIMISM, is one of the forerunners of hyperrealism in Nigeria. He focuses on the conceptualization and the mind bending surrealistic approach of visually expressing his emotions, life experiences and important messages or stories using different mediums but most especially Pencil and Oil. He has had several joint exhibition in prestigious galleries like Terrakulture and Nike Art Gallery including the first Nigerian hyperrealism exhibition “INSANITY” at Omenka gallery. He has executed several portrait commissions of notable people over the years and has a large portfolio of works covering other fields of art he delved into during the course of his career till date.

Statement:

I am a primarily self-taught photographer who began exhibiting my images about fifteen years ago. I seek to share images with which I has a strong and instinctive personal connection. Images may be simply documentary, invoke a sense of time and place, or resonate as an abstract blend of color, shape or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. My creative process follows an intuitive yet patterned path, searching for the combination of elements that produces an instinctive but undeniable connection. Most often the images that provoke the strongest connection are those that do not produce an immediate reaction but provoke a response through repeated contact and consideration over time. I exhibit widely and have received awards in local, regional, and national exhibitions. My photographs are also included in several corporate and private collections.