Hezekiah Obidare
I find Hezekiah’s works as beautiful as they are intriguing. To me, they’re completely out of the ordinary when it comes to figurative art, and during our video call, Hezekiah confirmed that this was indeed his intention.
In a Nigerian art market where portrait artists abound and are as talented as each other, Hezekiah has managed to stand out from the crowd by asserting his chromatically rich, hybrid style with elegance and originality.
Indeed, the majority of his designs have a pot as their head. In Yoruba culture, the pot is of particular importance, as it is used as a tool (food container), decoration, and symbol for rites (marriage or initiation). The head, on the other hand, represents the most important part of the body. By replacing the heads of his models with pots, Hezekiah asserts his identity and cultural heritage, as a Yoruba himself.
He also loves to weave together visual representations, symbols, and motifs from different cultural traditions, creating a vibrant tapestry that transcends geographical and temporal boundaries.
The background of his works, often colorful and adorned with Adire decorative motifs (Adire being a type of dyed fabric made in south-western Nigeria by Yoruba women), pays homage to his late mother, who sold this type of fabric.
One of the things I admire most about this artist is his passion and discipline. A full-time artist, he couldn’t see himself doing anything else, regardless of the material conditions in which he evolves, and practices his art every day out of love above all else.
As such, I’m convinced that Hezekiah will thrive as an artist, given his unwavering dedication to his art.
Continue to fascinate us with your work, Hezekiah, and I wish you the very best in your career.
You can also follow and contact him directly at: https://www.instagram.com/hezekiahobidare/
Location: Ondo Town (Ondo State, Nigeria)