All a woman needs

Artist claims society misreads women’s needs, says all they want is to be valued.

You can try selling the idea of women’s emancipation to Ayoola Gbolahan but he will never buy it. To him, it is a way of demeaning the importance of women in society.

“They are of value already. What they need is for you to look at them and value them,” the Nigerian artist says.

It was this notion that formed the basis of Gbolahan’s exhibition during the celebration of Nigeria’s independence on Tuesday, October 1, at the Nigerian High Commissioner’s residence in Loresho, Nairobi.

Four of the artist’s paintings were on show: part of his Blue Women Series of 12 images.

Notably, all of them depict women with blue faces, red lips and African clothes.

The females generally appear satisfied, yet a look at their eyes shows otherwise.

Gbolahan talks about one titled “Blue Woman” – a portrait: “If you look at this image, you can tell that she (the woman in it) is very well adorned.

“She looks good, like a typical African woman. You would think she is content. But look in her eye,” he says.

The artist tells Lifestyle that the eyes of the woman depicted in the painting call for something; the way someone looks at you and makes you want to ask a question.

It’s the same appearance on a subject in another piece of work he displayed upon invitation at Nigerian High Commissioner’s residence.

She has headgear on, adornments too, and looks pretty with her full, bright lips. Still, the same displeased look in the eyes exists. It does not reflect her decorations.

Gbolahan, whose work is known for its honesty, textured surfaces and bold use of colour, says that these women depict what he has been observing for the past seven years, that “most women only appear to be content in a way to allow the system or the culture to flow. But they are not pleased”.
Which brings me to a different painting he brought to Kenya.

Against an abstracted map of Nigeria is a blue woman with a halo encircling her head. She is wrapping a sheet around her waist while looking at her backside.

The image is called “Blue Woman and Values”.

PRAISEWORTHY

Gbolahan expounds on it: “In Nigeria, there is a saying that ‘if you don’t praise me, I will praise myself’. So, if you don’t value a woman….”

Gbolahan indicates that the elements he used in these canvas paintings have meaning.

Blue is very soothing and this is what people see when they look at the paintings. When women speak, though, they show their character; the content is strong.
And he intentionally used a lot of the colour gold.

“The purity of gold is only seen when it is put through fire. We have put them [women] in fire for too long and they now need to come out,” he states.

Gbolahan, who lives in Lagos, first had the idea of the art series in a dream seven years ago, in which he says he saw a vision of a blue woman.

He has since then interacted with women from different countries and learned a lot from them.

“I have seen how pretentious they can be,” he says. “When you ask them deep questions, they tell you horrendous things.”

The artist painted his first Blue Woman piece in 2008 and has painted 11 more since, with an exhibition of one taking place in 2008 at The Arch Gallery in London.

He has over the years covered themes such as the relationship between societies, between cultures, and behavioral patterns.

Gbolahan argues that the need for women emancipation suggests that females need help or support.

“It is like a deranged man that needs rehabilitation into the fullness of being. However, women are not in need, they are already full of value,” says the 36-year-old.

Further, he observes that this demeans women and psychologically segregates them as they begin to see themselves as weaker beings.

“They now begin to do things with a quota system… in the corporate environment, the law says such and such a number of women should be in,” Gbolahan says.

For a long time, people have talked about equality and rights for women. Then again, just as his Blue Woman Series paintings illustrate, Gbolahan will tell you that when you ask them, they will tell you they want something different – to be valued.

Story by CARLOS MUREITHI