They would often refer to these dark figures as ‘ghosts’. Over time, after many years of abandoning these figures, Uchay began to adopt them even more proudly, labeling them ‘shadows’. Revisiting these figures and giving them a collective name breathed new life into them. The earnest recognition of these figures has thematically led up to Uchay’s latest exhibition at SOTO Gallery, Lagos.
No Longer Afraid of Shadows is important because it enables the artist and the audience to reflect on and grapple with the shadows that exist within us and how they influence our lives. Through the experimental usage of materials like sack, string, thread, copper wire and most importantly – charcoal, Uchay invites you to think about the deeper meanings of accepting your own shadow. Shadows follow us around, and in some sense, are with us through everything, as long as we are in the presence of light.
The vastness of the idea of darkness makes for very interesting thought processes, as for Uchay, these ideas are a call back to the moments where he chose to revisit the dark figures in his artistic practice. The feat of reinstating these figures into his current practice is in a way, an act of conquering his instilled fear of shadows. In doing this, he embodies the title of the exhibition entirely while providing an engaging platform for introspection and interrogation. Through this exhibition, the audience is expected to view and enjoy deeply thematic artworks from a well respected and traveled contemporary artist while simultaneously confronting conditioned biases towards our shadows.