Yomi Orimoloye | New Works
Sept 14 - 28
Vernissage: Saturday, Sept 14 @ 3 - 5 pm, the artist will be in attendance
On Strangeness, and Meeting Someone New, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 32 in, framed by Wall Space
"Within the context of everyday life I carefully examine my experiences with ethnicity, sexuality, and mental health. I am particularly interested in the interaction between individual actions and collective identity, and their dynamic interplay with the surrounding social and political environment. To convey these ideas, I employ elements of abstraction to enhance storytelling within my work."
In these recent works, I found myself revisiting a part of my childhood that’s always stuck with me—those endless hours spent with my Lego set. Back then, I had this set with only basic shapes, and I would spend so much time figuring out how to build something meaningful out of it. There’s something about working with basic shapes, fitting them together to create structures, that feels like coming home. It’s a playful approach to figuration that reminds me of those early years when my imagination was all I had to work with. Now, I’m channeling that same energy into my art, allowing these simple forms to take on new life and meaning."
A Fighting Chance, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 20 in, framed by Wall Space
"A Fighting Chance," captures this idea in a more profound way. The figure in the painting resembles a sculpture, but it’s shown collapsing, almost as if it’s been beaten down by some unseen force. And yet, there’s this detail—the raised head—that introduces a different narrative. To me, it suggests resilience, a refusal to fully give in. Even in the face of what seems like defeat, there’s a flicker of hope, a desire to survive and rebuild, a fighting chance.
Then there’s the diptych, "First Date P" and "First Date N." These pieces were inspired by a poem I came across titled "First Date He/ First Date She" by Wendy Cope. It got me thinking about the dynamics of a first encounter—how we often present a version of ourselves that we think will attract or impress the other person. The figures in these paintings are facing each other, caught in that moment of trying to seem interesting, maybe even throwing out a little harmless lie to make a good impression. It’s like a form of peacocking, where both sides are engaged in this dance of attraction and presentation.
First Date N, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30 in, framed by Wall Space
When it came to naming these pieces, I decided to move away from the "He" and "She" used in Wendy’s poem and instead used "P" and "N." I wanted to reflect a more modern understanding of relationships, where the participants aren’t confined by traditional gender roles. The "P" and "N" also serve as a nod to the world of electronics, representing the positive and negative sides that make up a differential electric signal. It’s a bit like the yin-yang concept—two sides of the same coin, balancing each other out, creating a complete picture.
These works offer a glimpse into my recent explorations, where I dive deeper into figurative abstraction and explore new ways to use simple, basic forms for visual storytelling."
The Optimist, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 in, framed by Wall Space
Turning towards introspection, Orimoloye's abstractions explore the complexities of self-formation. Yomi’s figures appear to be in constant transitions, often hosting many faces and forms. This series of new works transmute the body into pure geometric form. His sensitivity to colour, movement of forms, and the interaction therein suggest human-like softness and tensions of balance – a suspension that feels at once solid but at risk of collapsing in a breath. Across Orimolye's practice as a whole, chimerical figures bring together the multiple façades and internal turmoil that encompass the navigation of daily life.
We look forward to welcoming you at the vernissage on Saturday, Sept 14 from 3 - 5 pm. Street parking available.
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Yomi Orimoloye (b. 1996) works with drawing, painting, and digital media. Inspired by his educational background in science, Nigerian heritage, and a love for animation, he employs simple geometric patterns, vibrant colours, and bold compositions to explore abstraction on familiar objects and the human form. His works focus on themes of identity, oftentimes turning towards introspection and addressing both personal questions and broader societal queries, all examined within the context of everyday life.
Orimoloye earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Ottawa in 2019. In 2023, he was awarded a Seed Grant by the City of Ottawa. His art has been showcased in group exhibitions, including "Black Dreams and Aspirations" at Toronto's Union Station (2024). Orimoloye is represented by Wall Space Gallery and his works have been collected nationally and internationally.
