Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gouache drawing by Ghariokwu Lemi. It dates from 2002 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 2002, this drawing by Ghariokwu Lemi combines gouache, ink, and pastel applied over printed paper. The layered materials produce a textured, fragmented surface that enhances the sense of urgency. Held in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, the work resists conventional finish, embracing rawness as part of its expressive language.
Subject & Meaning
A large, vivid portrait of a woman in yellow and black anchors the composition, possibly symbolizing resilience or a central figure in the turmoil.
A turbulent scene unfolds with figures in white uniforms in motion amid chaos. Others in red and black stand as sentinels, suggesting division or conflict. Burning structures and thick smoke imply destruction, while scattered faces convey fear and rage.
A large, vivid portrait of a woman in yellow and black anchors the composition, possibly symbolizing resilience or a central figure in the turmoil.
Technique & Style
Lemi layered gouache, ink, and pastel over a printed base, allowing underlying patterns to show through. The rough application and visible brushwork create a sense of immediacy. Colors clash and bleed at edges, reinforcing the instability of the scene. The technique mirrors the disorder it depicts, rejecting polish in favor of visceral impact.
History & Provenance
The work entered The Museum of Modern Art’s collection shortly after its creation. It was produced during a period of heightened political and social tension in Nigeria, reflecting broader regional unrest. While no specific event is named, the imagery aligns with documented civil disturbances of the early 2000s, grounding its abstraction in real-world context.
Context
Lemi’s work emerges from a Nigerian artistic tradition that blends political commentary with visual intensity. His use of mixed media on printed surfaces connects to the proliferation of mass media imagery in urban life. The piece responds to the visual language of posters, newspapers, and propaganda, repurposing them to question authority and document collective anxiety.
Legacy
This drawing contributes to a broader dialogue in African contemporary art about representation and resistance. Its unrefined aesthetic and layered composition influenced later artists exploring similar themes of unrest and identity. It remains a reference point for how drawing can function as both record and rebellion, without relying on traditional narrative clarity.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lemi Ghariokwu, also known simply as Lemi, is a Nigerian painter, illustrator and designer who is most renowned for providing many of the original cover images for the recordings of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.
