Stephen Akpo
When your halo slips for good, you’ll have to wear your hood
Lee Alexander McQueen Sarabande Foundation, June 20 - 23
Private view: June 20, 6-8 pm
As Ferris Bueller said “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I view painting as a way of documenting how I feel before I get swept up in the bustle of everyday living. This series of works moves to document, not specifically mirror, a period of my life and how I feel in this time. I’m interested in the sensitivities of feelings which I move to express in my practice, and how these feelings morph into other things, if left unobserved.
Stephen Akpo
When your halo slips for good, you’ll have to wear your hood is a solo exhibition of new work by Stephen Akpo, a British artist who employs introspection and meditative approach to express optimism and light through his work. The exhibition is a first comprehensive showcase of new paintings and sculptures created during Akpo’s residency at the Lee Alexander McQueen Sarabande Foundation, where he has chosen to explore the theme of melancholy and optimism through his creations in his time there.
The show offers viewers a journey through a range of cultural and artistic references. Being largely influenced by expressionist painters, Stephen Akpo projects feelings through semi-abstract imagery rather than depicting his own reality. The light shines through the canvas with an almost impossible quality, in an attempt to break away from the canvas’ constraints. Throughout the exhibition, Stephen Akpo uses a consistent colour palette inspired in part by Sapele, the town in Nigeria where his family originates from. Large brushstrokes create powerful, dynamic and expressive compositions which fully immerse viewers in a world created by the artist. On the opening night, the artist will be creating a new painting in situ in the centre of the room. During this performative act, the artist will intertwine paintings and sculptures with jazz music which makes a crucial impact on his artistic practice and the rhythm of his work.
The exhibition showcases Akpo's foray into sculpture, a new medium for the artist. Using clay as his chosen medium, Akpo pushes the boundaries of his artistic practice to convey emotion in three-dimensional form.
Through a deeply personal lens, Akpo meditates on his own traumas and losses, while simultaneously grappling with the imperfect nature of the world around him. Yet, amidst these challenges, Akpo's work radiates a sense of resilience and optimism. In his latest paintings, the artist offers an exploration of the interplay between light and dark, symbolising hope in the face of adversity. Each piece resonates with raw emotion and authenticity, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences of pain, growth, and healing.
The exhibition is curated by Tina Maslakova, director of the TM Projects.