Alliance Française, Ikoyi, Lagos was a beehive of art lovers, collectors and critics last weekend as a young and talented artist, Johnson Ochega had his solo exhibition. The Kogi state born statistician turned artist proved through his numerous works of art on display that finding a niche where passion lies is the best for him. It would be interesting to note that the young and budding artist, having discovered his strength in the creative space, cashed in on it, thus dazzling spectators who thronged the exhibition scene with works that spoke volume.
The exhibition titled, "A pilgrims Journey: Through the Shades of Yellow, held on April 22 to run till May 20, 2023 is an artistic synergy between the organisers, African Artists Foundation (AAF) under the watchful eye of AAF Director, Azu Nwagbogu and Alliance Française, Lagos. With about 13 works on display, Ochega was able to impress with his style, choice of colours, images and the messages behind the theme.
For his debut solo, Johnson Ocheja makes his muse the pilgrim archetype. The pilgrim however, is typically associated with religious iconography but the pilgrim is really anyone who seeks a deeper sense of purpose and significance in life. This quest is ultimately the journey of the artist. He is first crushed by society and was misunderstood before seeking a safe, often solitary space that may be seen as a pilgrim's journey. With this, Ocheja is no longer trying to be an artist, rather, he is actualising his journey.
In Ocheja's work, the use of yellow holds significant symbolism, representing felicity, possibilities, and hope. Each painting's shade of yellow resonates with the artist's journey. There is variability in tone and therefore in language-- sometimes it exudes a lighter and spirited hue or a deeper and muddy tone. And although the human body is the primary element in these pieces, Ocheja emphasises that it is equally vital to contemplate the attire that adorns the subject--and it is these yellows, characterising his subjects' internal worlds, that he elevates beyond aesthetic choice, to become a symbolic portal into the experience of happiness. Yellow is Ocheja's safe and dominant colour. The purpose is not merely about self but also his documentation and relative immortalisation of his subjects.
From the Curator's point of view, "Contemporary visual culture sells happiness through advertising as consumption but we know, research also proves that consumption and happiness are not necessarily correlated. Happiness comes from the pilgrim's journey. Each human must work out their own salvation by themselves and all society can do is be supportive, generous and encouraging. Ocheja charges his audience to pay attention, to listen and to be kind like a child. His portraits do not titillate, they mesmerise and saturate his canvas," it stated.
With works on display such as, 'Serenity, The way it should go, Ojima, The mind of a child, Sunday morning, On Saturday, My friend beside the church and Portrait of Abosede among others, Ochega was able to reveal the feelings behind his chosen imagery. According to him, the images depict family which is his strength. Foliage in these portraits serves as a recurring motif of vitality and connectedness to life sources, nature and abundance. It is a reference to our greatest desire for space, space to be, to roam, to wonder and wander. Ocheja's characters are not so much striving for happiness as they are already in their gardens of pure bliss, enjoying the fruits of their journey irrespective of the simplicity of their physical reality.
His paintings depict detailed scenes of black subjects with blue pigment and in impasto technique created with his fingers, thereby producing marks on the skin of his subjects inspired by scarification. The marks represent an African cultural practice which shows a person's rank in society, family, clan, and tribe, and symbolises their beauty or strength and the blue pigment on the skin of his subjects symbolises royalty.
On the flip side, Ochega talked about his connectivity between spirituality and his works. According to him, "The presence of religious symbolism is an attempt to revive spiritual connections in a society that often overlooks spirituality in favour of materiality.
"Furthermore, in this exhibition, I use the pilgrim archetype to reference pilgrims of old--Hindus, Buddhists and Christians alike--for whom the colour yellow symbolises knowledge, enlightenment and spiritual growth. Thus, I elevate happiness to sacred contemplation," he said.
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In A Pilgrim's Journey; Through The Shades of Yellow, moments of domestic life are captured in Ocheja's paintings as visual journal entries, reminding us that like a pilgrim, we must retain a journey-oriented mindset by shifting away from the romanticisation of the destination, to focus on the people and social relationships that make the destination tangible and rewarding. Again, we are reminded that happiness is not just an individual pursuit but a shared experience that brings people together and uplifts those who are struggling. It is a journey of noble curiosity.
His works challenge the conventional standard of beauty and are inspired by his environment, the community and from other artists such as Gerald Lovell, Amoako Boafo among others. He has lived in Kaduna, Nigeria and living in two different states has provided him with the knowledge of diversity in subjects including cultural beliefs, religion, ethnic identities, and racism. Thus, he uses his art to address these issues affecting his community. Johnson currently lives and works in Cross-River, Nigeria.
