{"id":951355,"date":"2026-11-03T18:18:16","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T18:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/951355\/"},"modified":"2026-11-03T18:18:16","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T18:18:16","slug":"collins-obijiakus-tender-portraits-conjure-memories-and-community-colossal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/951355\/","title":{"rendered":"Collins Obijiaku’s Tender Portraits Conjure Memories and Community \u2014 Colossal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Through eloquent linear details and brushy, color-blocked backgrounds, Collins Obijiaku<\/a> renders tender portraits in oil. Often directly meeting the viewer\u2019s gaze, the striking figures inspired by individuals within the artist\u2019s community command our attention. The artist harnesses a sense of timelessness, with a palette that swings from earthy to jewel-toned and subtle hints of architecture, nature, and art historical iconography that transcend specific eras.<\/p>\n

Raised in Nigeria\u2019s Kaduna region, Obijiaku recently moved to Chicago, where he has grappled with the emotional resonance of distance and getting used to an entirely new place. \u201cSeen through a sentimental lens, these settings lend the paintings an intimate, dreamlike quality, as though recalling a presence from memory,\u201d says a statement from Roberts Projects<\/a>, which will be presenting the artist\u2019s forthcoming solo show, Wherever You Are, Remember Me.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>\u201cPortrait of Benedicta Rufus\u201d (2026), oil and charcoal on canvas, 27.6 x 39.4 inches <\/p>\n

Obijiaku relishes how everyday experiences have the potential to prompt memories. Food smells can evoke thoughts of holidays or relatives. Sounds can transport us to specific times and places in our past. And when exploring somewhere new, it\u2019s common to experience a kind of illusory familiarity, such as when a stranger passes on the street and they remind us of someone we objectively know is thousands of miles away.<\/p>\n

A handful of the works shown here, including \u201cRengaji\u201d and \u201cPortrait of Benedicta Rufus\u201d will be included in the show, complementing a suite of still lifes. \u201cRengaji,\u201d for example, nods to Renaissance paintings in the Christian tradition of the likes of Fra Angelico<\/a>, while also referencing Obijiaku\u2019s own childhood memories of royal processions in Nigeria, where crowds would gather to observe the king.<\/p>\n

Wherever You Are, Remember Me opens on November 7 and continues through December 19 in Los Angeles. See more on Obijiaku\u2019s Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>\u201cRengaji\u201d (2026), oil and charcoal on canvas, 66.1 x 79.1 inches<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>\u201cYene I\u201d (2023), oil and charcoal on linen, 70.87 x 51.18 inches. Photo by Robert Wedemeyer<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>\u201cIn Good Company\u201d (2026), oil and charcoal on canvas, 40 x 40 inches<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>\u201cUntitled (Woman I)\u201d (2021), oil on paper, 39.37 x 31.5 inches. Photo by Alan Shaffer<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>\u201cSLO\u201d (2023), oil and charcoal on canvas, 39.37 x 27.5 inches. Photo by Philippe Baron<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>\u201cPortrait of Silvanus\u201d (2026), oil and charcoal on canvas, 39.37 x 27.56 inches<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>\u201cAunt Vivian and Coach\u201d (2022), oil and charcoal on canvas, 39.37 x 27.56 inches. Photo by Paul Salveson<\/p>\n

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n

Hide advertising<\/p>\n

Save your favorite articles<\/p>\n

Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop<\/a><\/p>\n

Receive members-only newsletter<\/p>\n

Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms<\/p>\n

\t