The primary solo present by the American Izu Okwuobasi was nostalgic and a commentary on the experiences of Nigerian migrants within the West.
Tales of the distress of Nigerians who left the nation looking for the proverbial golden fleece within the West have dominated the information recently. There are heartbreaking experiences of Nigerians who bought all their belongings to journey overseas, however ended up counting on charity.
Movies of some Nigerians in Canada sleeping in camps have been circulating on-line recently. Earlier this week, Laurent De Boeck, head of the Worldwide Group for Migration (IOM), introduced that greater than 1,000 Nigerians have been stranded in Britain after receiving faux employment letters.
Whereas there are lots of unhappy tales, there are additionally many optimistic tales of Nigerians succeeding overseas. Such is the case of US-based Nigerian photographer and engineer Izu Okwuobasi, who introduced Christmas delight to artwork lovers in Lagos on December 16 and 17 together with his first solo exhibition titled 'Obodo Oyinbo: The Million Mile Expertise'.
The present, held on the Untitled Gallery in Ikoyi, Lagos, featured charming images of locations and folks throughout the US. The dreadlocked artist described the present as multi-faceted, deeply private and uniquely depicting America via a Nigerian lens.
Okwuobasi, an engineer who primarily works on development websites, revealed that his work took him to picturesque places, creating the necessity to report and doc them.
“My then profession as a discipline/development engineer turned the vessel for my exploration of America. It led me to the corners of the nation that tales typically go away untouched: the swamps, plains, mountains and silent cities with tales ready to be instructed.
“'The Million Mile' is a metaphor for the collective migratory miles of all Nigerians out of Nigeria looking for greener pastures. It is usually a metaphor for all of the miles I’ve traveled to take these photographs and produce you this expertise.”
“My father, alongside together with his brothers, ventured to America looking for 'greener pastures', a journey sought by many from our house nation of Nigeria. Tragically, his life was lower quick and murdered simply three days after I turned 18. His premature demise left a void and a legacy that I felt compelled to proceed,” he mentioned.
Captured over 5 years, the artist defined that every photograph on show carries a particular feeling for him.
“As I crossed this huge land, I captured moments of uncooked magnificence and fact: horses galloping via an Indian reservation in North Dakota, the solemnity of a Civil Struggle cemetery in Vicksburg, the eerie silence of crumbling cities like Brooksville, and the long-lasting grandeur of Mount Rushmore. These photographs, shared on-line, resonated with many and revealed an America past the silver display screen and postcards, the “actual America.”
“As we attain the five-year milestone of this journey, it’s time to weave these threads right into a story that not solely pays tribute to my father's reminiscence, but in addition invitations viewers to see America via a special set of eyes – the eyes of a younger Nigerian sure by hope, loss and the relentless pursuit of a dream.”
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