Ima Amu
Netherlands
Ima was born in Ukehe, Nigeria in West Africa. At a very young age he was always constantly making drawings on the sand with sticks excitedly. At that time, he knew that he wanted to be an artist.He loved drawing and enjoyed a good experience with colors during his time at the secondary school. He was very motivated and he decided to proceed to read art amidst many challenges from his parents then. They wanted him to become a lawyer instead but he refused because of his love with colors and drawings.
He went to the University of Benin, Benin-city, Nigeria, where he studied art history and painting techniques. He was one of the best in his class.
After his graduation in 1994, he worked until 1999 as a curator and manager at the famous, Didi Museum in Lagos, Nigeria. During that period he curated and organised different exhibitions and art related symposia. Further to his credit, he also had contracts with several banks and companies, where he did beautified their offices with his paintings. Besides, he has won many prices in Nigeria during his time as a curator.
Until now he has participated in many art exhibitions throughout Nigeria and here in The Netherlands.
His paintings usually depict the everyday life of the people in Nigeria and broadly, in Africa. He also tries in his works to relate his early life experiences which are the major story-lines and subject matter of his paintings. A times, he tells interestedly some sad experiences with colourful pallet because of his desire for bright hues and mixed media technics.
Therefore, his paintings are in no doubt, a reflection and a mirror of life in Africa.
In addition, he sees his paintings as his voice to expressing and show what is going on in that continent, Africa. Within this frame work, the women play some subjective and symbolic roles which he mostly uses to express this situation. Regrettably and sadly on a bigger scale, the women carry the heaviest socio-cultural burden and demand. Yes, a burden of neglect, marginalization and inequality that trails their life’s in every sector of human activities which today, needs a global attention.
His paintings are rendered majorly on oil, acrylic colours and charcoal. Also, worthy to mention is that often times he combines these mediums to achieve his desired mixed media approach.
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