Painter delves into Nigerian heritage in 'IJOMAH: The Journey of ADAOBI'
AdaObinna Moore has never been to Nigeria, yet the bold acrylic paintings of the young artist speak of the people and lore of her ancestral country.
Moore, 29, the Columbus-born daughter of a Nigerian father and an American mother, creates colorful abstract paintings that are marked with both energetic rhythm and a feeling of serenity. Her works, Moore said, reflect her identity and culture.
“I concentrated on creating faces during my last semester of college,” Moore said. “I became at peace with who I am and where I come from.”
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Forty of her works are on view through March 18 in the exhibit “IJOMAH: The Journey of ADAOBI” at Streetlight Guild on the Near East Side. The exhibit, on the second floor of the nonprofit art and event space, includes paintings ranging in size from 4 by 6 feet to 4 by 4 inches. Most are painted on wood, but several are done in acrylic paint on canvas or bull leather.
All of Moore’s works feature the faces of androgynous people – often juxtaposed with other faces or entwined with arms and legs in contortionist shapes. Her subjects’ eyes are either closed or half-mast, radiating calmness and peace. She said she is drawn to life stories delivered in the warm colors of many African paintings and indeed, most of these works are executed in bold shades from the “ROY” part of the ROYGBIV rainbow.
Two figures merge in the large orange and amber painting “When Two Became One.”
“Coolin,” which Moore says is a tribute to her father’s village of Oguta, is a vertical human chain of faces.
“Prayer Warriors” is a tribute to Moore’s American grandmother and New Orleans. The large faces here are surrounded by stained glass-like panels in Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and yellow.
Moore said she loved drawing from the time she was a child. When she got to college, she first majored in science but couldn’t stay away from art and eventually changed majors. In 2016, she earned her bachelor’s degree in art from Ohio State University. She wants to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree.
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Artists she has been inspired by include Kehinde Wiley, Julie Mehretu and, from Columbus, April Sunami and Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson.
The title of Moore’s exhibit, “IJOMAH: The Journey of ADAOBI,” references both her first name, which means daughter of Obinna, and her maiden name, Ijomah, which means “safe journey” in Igbo, the language of her father’s tribe.
Moore was going to make her first trip to Nigeria when the COVID-19 pandemic broke. She wants to revive those plans and eventually visit her family’s homeland for the first time.
In her artist statement she writes, “In my work, I reflect a lot on my Nigerian background which helps me stay in tune with my roots. The act of creating is my tribute to my ancestors, to those who created before me.”
At a glance
“IJOMAH: The Journey of ADAOBI” continues through March 18 at Streetlight Guild, 1367 E. Main St. Hours: 6-8 p.m. Thursdays and noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Visit streetlightguild.org.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: IJOMAH The Journey of ADAOBI is on view at Streetlight Guild
