“He (Tolu Aliki) is one of the artists we are looking at his future that he is going to be famous more than Picasso the way his work is going”- Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye
I remember seeing her walk in confidently; that afternoon of Sunday, January 23rd, with her charming personality surrounded by a simple yet fashionable dress. But upon entry, she became really shy. As if seeing a stranger’s face that wouldn’t stop staring at her at every corner of the ground floor in the Nike Art Centre Lagos she turned.
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It wasn’t until she started moving towards me in the SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review Section that I fully understood the source of her sudden self-consciousness.
“Right now, the most selling artist is a Nigerian artist in the whole of the 54 countries (in Africa) and her work is $3.4million dollars. So soon, Aliki’s work will be going for that amount as well”– Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye
Obviously, on stepping inside the gallery, she saw a relatable face that perfectly painted her unvarnished feelings. Emotions she tried to hide away under the, maybe not totally, a deceptive outward appearance she put up when she entered the magnificent space of the Nike Art Centre Lagos which never disappoints in leaving the beholder spellbound.
“Aliki has always been one of our renowned artists… he has worked hard to be able to gain his reputation.”– Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye
The long report cut short, she saw the countenance of one of Tolu Aliki’s subjects in one of the 10 scarcely seen artworks in the Nike Art Centre exhibited in the gallery’s new art show: SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review.Â
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“Ever wondered how many lifetimes it would require to absorb the over 25,000 artworks in the Nike Art Centre? SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review organized by the Nike Art Centre and partnered by the Ategun Art Foundation is a creative display within the overall gallery display established to make such impossibility possible. It is designed to be a continuous specially curated art program within the gallery space” as explained by the art show supervisor and co-curator, Yusuf Durodola.
“He (Tolu Aliki) is one of the artists we are looking at his future that he is going to be famous more than Picasso the way his work is going”– Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye
“The art show puts together a solo or 2-Man exhibition at the last week of every month all through the year. The artist’s works selected to be featured in the SPOTLIGHT ARTS and ARTISTS REVIEW will be on display at the Nike Art Centre for 7 days”, he further stated. The show in its maiden edition was launched with the evocative paintings of Tolu Aliki on Sunday, January 23rd, 2022.Â
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SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review is a project looking to give a face to the artists whose award-winning works are owned by Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye. This objective was immediately achieved when a regular visitor (also an artist) of the Nike Art Centre would inquire if the face of the person in the SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review roll-up stand strategically positioned at the section of the event exhibition space is the exhibiting artist (Tolu Aliki).
Getting affirmation of her assumption, she would exclaim in surprise. Stating how she has met him several times in the gallery but never gave him the kind of audience she should have because she didn’t know who he was. Even though she had always wanted to ask him questions about the ongoing debate surrounding his use of colors.
Although such a reaction is expected since there are over 25,000 works in the gallery from different artists without the artist face tagged on each one except the names that can sometimes be seen as autographs on most of the artworks.
Hence, it is deeply thoughtful of the Nike Art Centre to put together a show as SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review where “the personalities of the artists behind…sensational art pieces” in the Nike Art Centre are projected.
Even more commendable for the reason that the specially curated art show is proposed to occur yearly. As it would also be “exploring the…aesthetically pleasing artifacts up until now owned by the Nike Art Centre that you are apparently yet to experience upon your visit to the largest art gallery in West Africa…”
“His (Tolu Aliki’s) work has actually brought a lot of (positive) comment to the gallery and the community as well; the children love his colors.”– Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye
Tolu Aliki is a figurative painting ninja skilled in the art of using oil, pastel, and acrylics to represent deeply personal subject matters. This would be backed by Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye’s virtuoso assessment of Tolu Aliki stylized figurative compositions on display for SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review with her statement, “he (Tolu Aliki) is one of the artists we are looking at his future that he is going to be famous more than Picasso the way his work is going”.
An evaluation that can even be said to be an understatement when personally evaluating Tolu Aliki’s 10 works on the exhibition which cuts across the themes of feminism, Africanism, passion (sports, love), and facial representations that originate from humanity’s social daily relationships.
Tolu Aliki seems to be devoted to portraying the female gender as 7 out of the works on exhibition are of the female figure while only 3 subjects are male. Would this be because females make up the largest part of his clientele? For they are more drawn to colors than men.
This is clearly observable in the number of visitors who stayed longer at the SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review section of the Nike Art Centre that Sunday to view the artworks and talked about buying one. Or probably because the color looks more enchanting on women causing his works to have the same attitude in the eyesight of the viewer.
“Tolu Aliki has always been an inspirational artist that gives colors to people. If there are people like Tolu Aliki who can brighten up the people’s spaces and offer them courage through hopeful and lively colors, Nigeria has a future”- Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye
In all of the artworks on display, Aliki sinks the physical deficiencies of the African bodily traits with such stylishness and finesse that they become exquisite. He outlines his figures in such an unapologetic manner.
For he is not ashamed to project beautifully the African physical features of the black-brown skin, big lips, dark eye color, and pointed nose deviating from the accepted western physique standards. His originality to his roots makes his works authentic and aesthetically pleasing.
Having heard people describe his works as bright and colorful, Tolu Aliki’s sometimes excessive use of color can never be boring or pose a problem to the sight of the viewer. This is because of how intelligently he uses them to encapsulate every one of our emotions interestingly.
His enthusiastic application of hues is never dull due to the animated characteristics he gives them when he decides so at will.
As seen in two of the artworks on the SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review exhibition where in one painting, two attractive big size women replicate steps that look like dance moves with a lovely face. And in the other, the active female character dispenses her energy in returning a shot during a lawn tennis game.
“Anywhere you go today, in the big offices you will always see Aliki. And when you ask how did you get this (Tolu Aliki’s work) in your collection, they will say Oh! There is somebody who I saw Aliki’s work in their house and he doesn’t want to sell it. So they will now come here (Nike Art Centre) to see his work”– Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye
There seems to be something about the faces of his artworks that is not easy to decipher. At one point, the gazes of the subjects in his works can be cheerful, luring, calming, sometimes revealing, and eloquent.
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The varieties of facial expressions he allows his subjects to communicate are most likely intentional so art enthusiasts can connect with his art on a diverse level. An intelligent approach that makes Tolu Aliki’s paintings have something to offer everyone.
Looking thoroughly at the faces (which was the body part of the subjects that posed the most difficult conundrum to the audience) of most of the characters in Tolu Aliki’s works in the SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review exhibition from another angle; it very nearly looks like they are trying to keep all of our secrets that can only be made known by the appropriate audience whose secrets a particular subjects non-verbal communication is struggling to keep.
Tolu Aliki documents life and existence as it is: sometimes colorful. At other times, he uses the colors as an exploration of who we would be if we were bold enough to face our true self: accepting and living life just the way we are- shedding away the façade.
With his disruptive color schemes, he acts as a magician and paints something unforgettable from a color combination you wouldn’t have thought possible. Notably, Tolu Aliki uses flat colors, majorly red, blue, black, and yellow hues, at times in their different shades to give depth to his thoughtful expressions on canvas.
“He (Tolu Aliki) is one of the artists we are looking at his future that he is going to be famous more than Picasso the way his work is going”– Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye
Tolu Aliki’s reflective works on exhibition for SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review are astonishing. Little wonder the awe-inspiring masterpieces take the audiences’ breaths away leaving them intoxicated.
As a god, Tolu Aliki in these paintings shows off his artistic power to make all things bright and beautiful. His distinct and clear use of highlights makes his works detailed with a meaning, an interpretation, and a message specifically for each and every person.
“Right now, the most selling artist is a Nigerian artist in the whole of the 54 countries (in Africa) and her work is $3.4million dollars. So soon, Aliki’s work will be going for that amount as well”, She said while giving a value estimation of Aliki’s works. Describing the artist’s journey, her collecting relationship with him, and his highly demanded paintings, Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye asserts that “Aliki has always been one of our renowned artists… he has worked hard to be able to gain his reputation.”
“Anywhere you go today, in the big offices you will always see Aliki. And when you ask how did you get this (Tolu Aliki’s work) in your collection, they will say Oh! There is somebody who I saw Aliki’s work in their house and he doesn’t want to sell it. So they will now come here (Nike Art Centre) to see his work”. She went on by saying, “his (Tolu Aliki’s) works have been an inspiration to the youth’s and these are the people who own Nigeria tomorrow. Because Nigeria belongs to youth.”
Referring back to the artist’s colleague who got to identify Tolu Aliki for the first time from the SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review roll-up stand, she would then describe him as a “quiet and mysterious person”. Mysterious because she believes it is impossible to understand Tolu Aliki’s color combination, balancing, and usage done with great éclat.
Talking about the artist, Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye says “Tolu Aliki has always been an inspirational artist that gives colors to people. “If there are people like Tolu Aliki who can brighten up the people’s spaces and offer them courage through hopeful and lively colors, Nigeria has a future”, She further emphasized.
The luminous white-background gallery space of the Nike Art Centre aids the bewitching spectacle of the 10 collectible figurative compositions exhibited on SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review. To discover the realistic interpretations hidden beneath the faces of the dramatic paintings, you have to listen to them and be immersed in their animated thoughts.
“Right now, the most selling artist is a Nigerian artist in the whole of the 54 countries (in Africa) and her work is $3.4million dollars. So soon, Aliki’s work will be going for that amount as well”– Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye
Tolu Aliki would go into the Nike Art Centre record book as the first artist to be illuminated under the SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review art show by the prestigious gallery.
It is not unlikely to ask yourself why Tolu Aliki’s artworks were selected to launch this fresh art event out of the hundreds of artists whose works are owned by this generational icon.
The unbiased supporter of Nigerian artists would unknowingly answer such a controversial question when she was quoted saying “his work has actually brought a lot of comment to the gallery and the community as well; the children love his colors.”
Two things were launched that afternoon: the SPOTLIGHT Arts and Artists Review and Mofifunoluwa Atinlola’s Book- Elena in The Woods which led to the influx of children invited for the event.
For the fact that Dr. Chief Nike Okundaye respects everyone irrespective of age or status; it is not impossible that the decision to have Tolu Aliki’s work exhibited on the same day as Mofifunoluwa Atinlola’s book launch was a generous move to make both historic events more colorful.