"Art piece: A reflection of an artist character''- Wallace Ejoh

From the prehistoric cave paintings in Chauvet and Lascaux Southern France, to the dramatic brush strokes that embodies the beautiful colours from Edosa Oguigo's pallete in Iganmu Lagos Nigeria, visual arts has been a constant medium for the expression of  innate ideas, imaginations and feelings through creative skills in visual forms, for the sole purpose of truthfully documenting  people, places and events visually.

This definition overtime has been a great drive for the production of wonderful art pieces from notable art masters all around the world especially in Nigeria. Today Visual art is basically categorized into 5 genres namely Drawing, painting, sculpture, textile, ceramics and graphics and its end products are referred to as art pieces. Art pieces are primarily produced for the purpose of aesthetic and functionalism. This idea however is widely accepted but has received a new perspective from a prolific Nigerian/ Ghanaian Artist Wallace Ejoh who believes that art pieces must not only be seen as objects of aesthetic and functionality, but should also be seen as an embodiment of the artist character reflected through his styles, techniques, mediums and ideology.

Wallace Ejoh.

 Wallace Ejoh was born on October 3 1966 in Accra, Ghana. He has Nigerian father and a Ghanaian mother. He obtained a HND in Visual arts at the prestigious Yaba College of Technology in 1984 and has been in active practice since then. Wallace is a professional painter and art instructor. He is happily married and blessed with intelligent children. Ejoh is one of the finest painters in the world today and has fully participated in Exhibitions within and outside Nigeria. He is very skillful and familiar with all the various painting mediums especially Acrylic, water colour, pastel and oil. His paintings are an incomprehensible visual language of truth and day to day activity of man. 
Ejoh has a unique technique of painting best classified as alla prima or wet on wet. He is an outstanding realist and a very exceptional expressionist. His works ranges from landscapes, still life, life and portrait paintings.  One identifiable characteristics of his painting is its suppressing "greys" of enticing browns, attractive reds and daring blues. The essence of this is to put his audience or viewer in the mode of the subjects on canvas and arouse every viewers feelings. Notably, he captures every subject or event by paying attention to their facial expressions, gestures and modes.

           

Ejoh's  concept of analyzing an art piece through the character is interesting and very inspiring. One dictionary defines character as “the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.” Another says it is “the complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person.” In still another dictionary, character is said to be “the stable and distinctive qualities built into an individual’s life which determine his or her response regardless of circumstances.”  Character he says "is a key factor for success in the visual art industry". He encourages every artist to marry character and consistency because that's what keeps an artist unique at all times. Consistency is a message he constantly preaches to every upcoming artist especially those receiving training at Universal Studios of art Iganmu Lagos. Ejoh believes that consistency should be the first character every artist must posses if his vision is to be successful, just as George Santayana writes that ;

Our character...is an omen of our destiny, and the more integrity we have and keep, the simpler and nobler that destiny is likely to be.

George Santayana (1863 - 1952), "The German Mind: A Philosophical Diagnosis"

To be extremely successful is the anticipation of every artist. This is Only attainable if Ejoh's concept of consistency as an inevitable character is employed.  Just like Menander a greek scholar postulates that "a persons character is seen in their conversations". This also totally applies to visual arts because an artist character must be seen in their works.  

Obviously, if an artist character is bent towards laziness, struggles, happiness, sadness e.t.c, it shows in his work. Every attitude an artist puts up is clearly indicated in the works they produced at that moment. Also, an artist perception , ideology or view of the world if held for a long time sums up as his or her character. Some artist produce works that are politically, religiously, culturally and socially driven. This clearly shows their concerns in this areas of the society, thereby forcing them to record. Every artist according to Bojor Enamhe is "a mouth piece of the society" and Erasmus Onyishi also notes that "a society without visual artist is ready for burial."  Understandably, artist constantly make their statements about people, places and events through their works. This indicates their character and concern for their immediate environment as regards to people, places and events. 

Nevertheless, Wallace Ejoh's paintings has constantly expressed peoples mode in every giving situation of life. One could conclude that Ejoh's character is one of care and empathy towards people daily conditions. Most subjects in his works look sad, some look oppressed, some are in preparation for an important event and few have these exuberant looks of expectancy. Notably, his consistency as a practicing artist is a character reflected in his works through his freedom,manipulation and control of his medium. Every colour and brush strokes in his paintings pronounceable  stand in adequate positions.

 

  Ejoh through his paintings has exhibited his knowledge of chiaroscuro like Rembrant  van Rijn. His adequate ability to divorce his subjects from the background is intriguing. The manner in which he positions the faces of his subjects is also very interesting  and awakens the emotion. Ejoh's realistic treatment of the human eyes is a thing that marvels. The gazes of his subjects towards every viewer is real and sympathetic. His careful painting of the mouth makes everyone feels his subject might mumble a word. The necks of his subjects are visually very flexible and seem to be able to move 360 or look towards a different direction.

                        

Freedom and control of medium has been the top problem of every upcoming artist in the visual art industry. Ejoh believes that consistency is the only character that can be employed to conquer this problem.  Since his venture into full practice in the early 90's, Ejoh has been of great inspiration to innumerable artist in the world. Many have become masters under him and professionals in the visual arts genres. To see other of his works click HERE: https://web.facebook.com/wallace.ejoh/photos_albums