When a visual artist is bold enough to describe himself as an expressive artist, it speaks volumes about his mastery of his art.
Give it to Nigerian contemporary mixed-media artist Demola Ogunajo, whose work is in demand.
His creative talent is incredible and testifies to his passion, which he cultivates effortlessly.
Demola is one of the few who does not simply come to a public place or exhibit his works for exhibition; One must have strong faith to do this.
This conviction is manifesting itself with her upcoming solo exhibition titled 'Womb to Street', coming in 2021, four years after her last exhibition.
“It is like an appointment with the times that has made it successful,” he said during a media interaction launching the exhibition at the Soto Gallery Ikoyi, Lagos.
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He explains that 'Womb to Street', the title of the exhibition, is an exploration of the substrate on which his work flourishes over time.
“We grow every day and as we grow, life unfolds before us in different ways.
“As a child, there are certain things you go through, like a curtain around you, but as you grow up, the curtain goes away and you start to come to some kind of agreement with the realities around you,” he adds.
This title also reflects his spirituality. “So, the whole idea of the womb is the milieu, Christ, the Spirit who is all around me, who is indwelling, and who feeds my creativity.
“It's like a baby in the womb who is being fed milk. It's an autopilot kind of thing. There's a baby who is unconscious, knows what he wants, but has been nurtured from the inside out.
So, there's that strong sense of nurturing and guidance. And that's why I say symbolically in my text that the womb is an environment where the Christ consciousness is like an atmosphere, like an autopilot atmosphere that envelops everything I do.
The upcoming, and undoubtedly must-see, exhibition for this art season opens at SOTO Gallery, #10 Omo Osagie Street, SW, Ikoyi, Lagos on November 4 with a private opening view, followed by a public view on November 5, 2025. However, it will last for a month and will end on December 8, 2025.
The exhibition organized by SOTO Gallery features more than 20 works of the artist over the years, mainly acrylic on canvas, stickers on plexiglass.
But not all the works are from the four years he last appeared; Some extend even further.
“Some of the works that will be in the show have been in my collection since 2007. I have works done in 2008, 2009, some from 2011 and up to the present. I think the last one was a few months ago.
He said, “It's a series of works that I've been producing over time, but that I've specifically, and unknowingly, put to the side for something like this.”
He admitted that it was only a matter of time before he realized that the 'Womb to Street' exhibition was what the works would be used for.
“So, it's like an appointment over time that made it successful”.
Speaking specifically to each work, he said, “I try as much as possible to bring my experiences into each of my pieces in terms of things like that.
“And in this process my Christian life has evolved because it's like, as you increase your awareness of things, you start to look at life differently. And these are expressed in my actions anyway”.
According to him, all the works in the 'Womb to Street' exhibition are like a journey of emotions; Of his inner feelings, and of his inner preoccupation. Furthermore, in bits and pieces, they all talk about this source, that consciousness, and the environment from which it operates.
“When I work, it is from an atmosphere of gratitude, a sense of responsibility, delight in God, and a sense of my responsibility. And within that atmosphere, there is guidance and revelation.”
Choosing one particular piece, which he titled, 'Plumed Heart', an image of a heart covered with wings, he explained, “The heart speaks of empathy, it speaks of love, and it has wings that are everywhere. And I think, to a large extent, 'Plumed Heart' sums up the whole idea and consciousness of the show,” he said.
Expressing how much the audience will love her work at the exhibition, Demola said that it is and always will be her honesty towards her calling, what she loves and her passion.
“I have to love my painting before I take it out,” he said.
“When I'm painting or working on them, whatever artwork I create, I have to be in love with the work. I have to go through that filter.”
While he talks a lot about his spirituality, it is reflected in his work as well.
“Life is essentially spiritual,” he said. “All the works speak about my spirituality and my personality. As I mentioned for the second time, it's like an immersion in my sense of existence, my closeness to God and my polarity to Jesus Christ.”
According to him the above has affected everything. “As far as I know, I'm in that consciousness when I'm producing.”
Meanwhile, SOTO Gallery is excited to exhibit Demola's work, noting that with a gap of four years since his exhibit, 'Womb to Straight' is a comeback of sorts with a really interesting work.
Offering reasons to come to see the exhibition, SOTO Gallery said that Demola is courageous in his works, especially in this era where identity and faith are increasingly politicized, as his paintings offer a transcendent vision: faith as lived experience, tradition as evolving dialogue, and art as a site of fearless testimony.
The gallery said, “This exhibition not only solidifies his place as an important voice in African contemporary art, but also redefines what it means to engage with the sacred in public space.”
Offering more reasons why ‘Womb to Street’ is a must-see, the gallery notes that it delves more deeply into Demola’s signature universe, a vibrant tapestry with the signature irreverence and graphic precision of pop art, where angels share canvas space with Lagos street motifs and other interesting oddities.
Again, Demola's paintings are full of paradoxes: playful yet profound, cartoonish yet cosmic, they interrogate themes of transcendence, divine conflict, and the absurdity of modern life through a vocabulary of symbols that is both personal and universal.
The above is evident in the works displayed in the exhibition spanning over a month, as the gallery urges art lovers, collectors and the public to come and view the works.
Once again, ‘Womb to Street’ will open with a private view on November 4, followed by a public view on November 5, 2025 and will run until December 8, 2025 at SOTO Gallery Ikoyi, Lagos.
