Employing his evocative use of acrylic on canvas and mixed media techniques and incorporating oil and paper collage, Johnson Uwadinma does just this, using his beckons on the audience to step into a world of artistic introspection where the body becomes a repository of memories, gestures, and cultural affiliations. Titled ‘Recollection’, the exhibition features (number of works) of Uwadinma’s newest work, serving as a poignant reflection on the theme that the artist describes with the words “I Wear Memory as a Cloth” – a theme that has been central
to Uwadinma’s artistic practice over the course of his sojourn as a contemporary artist.
For this exhibition, Johnson takes inspiration from the intricate machinations of the mind and memory, as well as the subconscious recollection processes, offering viewers a visual odyssey through the labyrinth of memory. He uses the human form, depicted in various poses and adorned with symbolic colors and shades, making the human form a canvas through which one can explore the fragmented nature of recollection. While viewers navigate this maze of memories and emotions, they are encouraged to contemplate the ways in which
live experiences shape individual worldviews and developmental ideals.
Uwadinma’s paintings do not only serve as visual testaments to the complexities of memory but also as
a callback to the deep-seated and intrinsic connection between the mind and body. Scientific studies have shown us the way cells and neurons become conduits for recollection, furthering the extent of the boundaries of the mind beyond the mundane. In this exhibition,the essence of this phenomenon is presented to the audience, inviting viewers to delve deeper into the interplay between memory, identity, and perception.