Lead Curator’s Statement:
As the founder and artistic director of this gallery, it has been a privilege to bring Emotional Layers of Existence to life—a show that speaks to the intricate ways we experience and express emotion. This exhibition merges the talents of two distinct yet complementary artists, Opara Courage and Nebolisa Kelly, each offering us a lens into the nuanced layers of human existence.
Opara Courage, with his memory-driven approach, captures fleeting moments of emotion, blurring the boundaries of time and space. This is especially evident in works like Men’s Zone II, Irreplaceable I & II, and My Beautiful Years. His 14 works evoke a deeply personal engagement with memory, allowing us to connect with feelings long buried or forgotten. Nebolisa Kelly, in contrast, invites us to witness raw emotion through the precise detail of hyperrealism. This is particularly striking in his Out of The Woods series. His 21 works capture life’s intense beauty and complexity, presenting images that feel as though they could leap from the canvas into our world.
While their techniques differ—one fluid and nostalgic, the other sharp and immediate—both artists share a profound sensitivity to the human experience. Together, they explore how emotions shape our identities, our relationships, and our understanding of the world. This exhibition is not just a visual journey but an emotional one, where the boundaries between memory and reality are softened by the power of feeling.
Olorogun Jeff Ajueshi, Lead Curator, Emotional Layers of Existence; Artistic Director, Thought Pyramid Art Centre.