Wrapped in Memory: Why My Art Persona Now Wears the Red Cloth

In my latest body of work, there’s been a subtle yet deliberate transformation: my recurring art persona, long defined by a white robe and spiritual solitude, now appears cloaked in a vivid red cloth adorned with bold, floral motifs. It’s more than a costume change — it’s a visual declaration. One rooted in nostalgia, identity, and an ever-deepening devotion to storytelling through design.

Cropped image of the art persona in his new attire. 2025

The red wrapper isn't just fabric — it’s memory woven into form. It’s the same kind of cloth I grew up seeing in homes across Nigeria: used to cover sleeping children, wrap produce in the market, warm the sick, or line pews during weddings and funerals. It represents both the ceremonial and the everyday. For me, it became a symbol of constancy in transition — of what is carried, even as we evolve.

This change wasn't impulsive. It emerged from a moment of quiet reckoning after Goshen, my solo exhibition, where my art persona traversed spiritual and social terrains. I realized that while I had built a character who traveled through imagined realms and post-apocalyptic cities, his dress had not yet caught up with his depth. He needed to carry home with him — not just in where he walked, but in what he wore.

The bold print of the red cloth interrupts the monotone and solemnity of previous works. It’s louder. Braver. And yet familiar. That’s intentional. One of my core artistic principles — “Culture as Foundation” — requires that African heritage not just be referenced, but worn. This cloth is a declaration of belonging, even as the character moves through liminal and mystic spaces.

It also echoes another tenet I hold close: “Darkness as a Persona.” Even in its brightness, the red cloth doesn’t erase the shadows of my work. Instead, it heightens them — making the moments of quiet and conflict more intense. It says: I am present, I have come from somewhere, and I am not afraid to carry it forward.

This shift also mirrors my personal evolution. As an artist and a man. As someone navigating between Vancouver’s chill and Lagos' dust. Between 3D prints and physical markets. Between virtual spaces and deeply human experiences. The red wrapper — now paired with a striped knit cap — is my way of anchoring myself in the chaos of it all. It’s heritage, armor, and soft embrace.

So, when you see my art persona next — whether surrounded by gods in Temple or staring at the ruins in The Effects of War — know that he isn’t just robed for aesthetic. He is robed for memory. For home. For me.