Exhibit runs September 5 - 29
Opening reception: Thursday September 5, 6-8pm
Artist talk: Sunday September 29, 2pm
Open during all events, or email us to schedule a different time to view
My paintings are simultaneously ancient and contemporary. Human figures play a central role in my as well as activation of negative space using simple yet bold, element of art, line. The line work is my interpretation of vibration that humans radiate. I choose to use indigo as the hue of my figures. Blue, which is categorized as a cool color, is used in warm tones. Though I paint with oil and some watercolor, I am delving into video installation.
Thematically, I juxtapose traditional pre-colonial era Yoruba aesthetic with that of contemporary Black Diasporan aesthetic. I sense this continuous thread that Africans of the diaspora share and are unconsciously tapped into regardless of where they may find themselves. I also choose to address my personal concern with Artificial Intelligence and its sedation of human connection to the natural world/forces. Maintaining nature's integrity and promoting sustainability is an emerging aspect of my work which I categorize as Afro-futurism.
Oluwatoyin Tella is a creator with a unique affinity towards mathematics and the visual arts. She received both her Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Howard University. Tella was born in Oyo, Nigeria to a Jamaican mother and Yoruba father.
The cultural fusion that surrounds her and her experiences are incorporated into her work, which can be described as contemporary yet ancient. By pulling from such experiences of a rural Nigerian childhood and matriarchal Caribbean home in Long Island, New York during the “golden age of hip-hop” circa 1992, Tella incorporates a multi-layered perspective. Her diasporic lineage gives her a compelling point of view, which she is passionate about conveying.
While Yo-Yo Ma is among her growing list of collectors, Tella continues to show at various galleries and museum, most notably New York’s African American Museum. She is currently in residence at Red Dirt Studios in Mount Rainier, Maryland and is an Adjunct Professor at Bowie State University. Through her inspired paintings, this artist has a lot more to offer the fine arts world. Tella currently resides in Maryland with her two beautiful children.