I remember the first time a painting made me cry, it was Van Gogh’s Starry Nights. I don’t know what came over me, as I stared into the night sky I could feel my eyes water. It felt like my soul was being touched by emotions I couldn’t control. That moment made me understand how powerful art can be, and why it’s one of the most beautiful and important parts of humanity’s history.
There’s never a time art hasn’t played a role in telling the story of our times, across different generations, nations and demographics. A bond we can all take part of, an innate connection to an image drawn from a place of imagination and passion.
I’ve always been fascinated with painters, the minds behind these powerful works of art. Their ability to evoke so much purity, to show you what they see, so vividly, in their own unique way is incredible.
This is what drew me to this week’s Hidden Gem, Vanessa Ofomata, a 25-year-old painter who uses neo-expressionism to intimately capture her world, feelings, and environment she revolves in.Storytelling is a big part of her art, with each panting you’re drawn into her use of colors & characters, each one a layer of its own.
Tell us about yourself?
VOFOART: My name is VOFO and they put a “proceed with caution” sticker on my cage for no reason.
I’m guessing that’s sarcasm…
VOFOART: L. The name‘s Vanessa Ofomata. I’m a 25-year-old neo expressionism artist born in lagos. Grew up in Benin city but just washed ashore lagos recently.
How did you get into art and the style neo-expressionism?
VOFOART: It was the most comforting way my demons found a way of expressing themselves. It was birthed with passion + I’ve been doing art since I was a kid. (writing on walls & using a marker to design anything my hand touched)
What was your first memory of painting a full piece?
VOFOART: Secondary school, struggling with life drawing in art class cause all I knew how to draw was “ojuju calabar” according to my friends.
So I’m staring at the sketch pad and looking at the fruit basket and broom placed in front of us to recreate and I just started drawing. When he said stop i had something very very far from the image we were supposed to draw (laughs). The teacher didn’t approve.
Take us through your creative process then, what drives to you make each piece of work?
VOFOART: Everything. It’s like there’s a pandora’s box of images that slideshows itself to me. I could be eating cereal or walking or plain old existing and then gbam an image appears. Kinda how I say “I see more when I close my eyes.”
What made you decide to take this professionally in a country that doesn’t see your occupation as a ‘serious job’?
VOFOART: That’s exactly why I took it professionally. I’m the black rainbow’d sheep kid that does art, who’d be surprised. I didn’t need anyone to see it as serious enough for them. I’m passionate about what I do and that’s all the push I need.
What road blocks do you think need to be fixed in the art system to give chances for more painters like yourself around Nigeria an equal opportunity to shine?
VOFOART: The stereotypes relating to the artist being just broke, smokers, drug users. Some of these artists you see are educated men and women + so fucking what if they smoke. Your president doesn’t and he’s an idiot. Nigeria needs to value the art it has because it’s an amazeballs lot of beautiful and talented works best believe. They need to fix up and give artist platforms and see what it’ll yield. I mean they’ve been able to do so much with the lack of help they get. Imagine how much more they’d do.
In your art, you reference a lot of facial features like the teeth and eyes, why so?
VOFOART: I used to get bullied a lot in primary school for my gap teeth. Mine wasn’t just the middle diastema, I had gap in every fucking tooth. It was so annoying, especially after you eat meat, what a struggle. So, I used the kinds of stuff people called me ugly for to beautify my art because why not. Also my eyes cause I use glasses.Basically beautifying features that were laughed at when I was growing up.
Your work feels like an intimate reflection of yourself and the things around you. Is this how it’s always been?
VOFOART: Yeah, my work reflects my emotions most times. It’s always been like that. You could see a series of works and might be able to place what was going on at that point. Then again, my paintings are inside jokes to me and very few people. So a little bit of both I’d say.
What does your art mean to you? Why do you paint?
VOFOART: I paint because I can, It’s one of the many ways my demons express themselves. What art means to me… that’s a question I’ve always found hard to answer cause I’ve never thought about it.
How’s the art scene in Benin compared to Lagos?
VOFOART: Art in Benin is really incredible. That state just needs a proper platform and it’ll blow minds. It’s deeply rooted art, tracing back to years and years of deeply rooted culture. Bronze work, carvings, and the likes. So when I came with my “ojuju calabar” art, it was a clash but an amazeballs one cause it brought two different sides of art together.
Put us on to someone in Benin.What can we expect from Vofoart this year?
VOFOART: Expect nothing and then you shall know peace but then again expect it all cause she’s coming and she’s bringing a punch with her.
What do you hope to inspire with your art and who are your favorite painters both alive and dead?
VOFOART: I like to believe I inspire every living thing, doesn’t even have to be human. I’m inspired by Kieth Haring, Basquiat, Bernard Buffet, Thierry Noir, Enyasi.K, Ifedoyin Shotunde. Derek Jombo, he’s another beautiful inspiration in human form.
Visit her website here.
