Toyin Ojih Odutola: To Wander Determined

Ayanna DeVaughn – Social Media Specialist

Wall of Ambassadors by Toyin Ojih Odutola, 2017.

For her very first solo exhibition in New York, the gifted Toyin Ojih Odutola presents “Toyin Ojih Odutola: To Wander Determined,” featuring a fictional series of portraits that narrate the lives of two aristocratic Nigerian families. Illustrated in Ojih Odutola’s signature style, the intimate portraits are life-sized drawings set against rich backdrops depicting family life and leisure.
 
In the series, Ojih Odutola examines social class and wealth while paying close attention to detail and space. Inspired by the artist’s personal inspirations and influences, the artworks are enlightened by art history, popular culture, and experiences of migration and dislocation. By using her preferred mediums of charcoal, pencil, and pastel, the figures that inhabit the drawings appear mysterious and perplexing–a frequent theme within her work utilized to explore identity and representation.
 
The exhibition will highlight a significant amount of new work as well as a small selection of earlier works, all created within the last year. Located at the Whitney Museum of American Art, “Toyin Ojih Odutola: To Wander Determined” will be on display until February 25th, 2018. To buy tickets and for more information, click here.