Matthew Eguavoen's portraits stage his thoughts on Nigerian society. He explores social, economic and political issues through the eyes of his models. His new series of works presented in the exhibition Egbé Okpá plunges visitors into the intimacy of a couple. 

Egbé Okpá, which means "one family" in Benin language - a language spoken in the artist's native Edo region of southwestern Nigeria - reflects the autobiographical nature of the work. Matthew Eguavoen's narrative is imbued with the birth of his first child, as he projects in it his experience as a young father. He questions parenthood and the impact of this upheaval on the couple. What was life like before? How does one go from two to three? How are our responsibilities and priorities changed permanently and irreversibly? Egbé Okpá unveils intimate portraits by plunging us into the confidence of family moments.

With Egbé Okpá, Matthew Eguavoen proposes a personal and intimate body of work, taking the viewer into the heart of his emotions, in the footsteps of his own experience. As always in the artist's paintings, fashion takes centre stage, presenting sculptural figures in a setting with a perfectly mastered aesthetic. Thus, Matthew Eguavoen's art, while rooted in a classical portrait tradition, is part of the Black Vanguard, a form of figuration that strongly advocates its origins and culture, influenced by the world of fashion. Under his brushes, art, fashion and social issues merge, reflecting his generation.

Egbé Okpá

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