Rele Lagos presents ‘How to Hold a Moonbeam; How Do You Hold Memory?’ the second solo exhibition by IyunOla Sanyaolu.
IyunOla Sanyaolu, 21st Sept 2022. (detail) Oil, charcoal, and acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 Inches. Courtesy of the artist and Rele Lagos.
Sanyaolu’s practice is primarily informed by an exploration of texture and sculptural possibilities. As an abstract artist, she aligns her aesthetic with the broader canon of the impasto tradition. Working with layers of thickly applied paint, her work often explores the emotive qualities of colour while capturing obscure silhouettes of human experiences.
Her second solo exhibition and first in Lagos, Nigeria – ‘How to Hold a Moonbeam; How Do you Hold Memory?’ represents a natural progression on themes of human decisions, solitary reflections, and transient experiences which characterised her debut exhibition. In this new series, Sanyaolu’s deeper embrace of the obscure enriches the layering and fading of memory, inviting us to reflect on the accuracy of our recollections.
The first piece in this new body of work begins in her mother’s garden. Sanyaolu recalls a poignant conversation with her mother that confronted her with mortality. “In the garden, I saw everything my mother had planted, and I had wondered what life would be when she is no longer here…. and how everything she has brought to earth might fade away, how that moment was becoming a memory”
The reflection of life’s ephemerality inspired her to illustrate the uncertainty of these memories, sculpting her memories of amorphous places in desaturated colours. The interplay of shadow and the figure functions like a sundial capturing the passage of time while inviting us to confront our gradual erasure and foster an appreciation for the fleeting moments that shape our lives.
The exhibition is on view from the 26th of October until the 30th of November, 2024. For more information, please visit Rele Lagos.
