From November 29 to December 20, Omenka Gallery will present Duke Asidere: The Artist and His Muse, an exhibition of recent work by leading contemporary artist, Duke Asidere. Asidere is an integral part of a group of artists working in Nigeria today leading a revival of painting—a medium several critics and scholars alike consider a dead form of artistic expression.
The artist adores women and paints them out of a deep desire to identify with their strength of character. This solo exhibition investigates in contemporary times, the once legendary and sexually intimate artist/muse relationship. it is an examination of an aspect of his broad oeuvre—a culmination of a long appreciation for women, above all his mother and chief muse, who remains his most important influence; his obsession and idea of ideal beauty and love. He interprets and celebrates her virtues in these paintings of his several models. His artistic journey becoming a challenge against the objectification and sexual exploitation of women while offering a critique of patriarchal societies and advancing several questions regarding the meaning of contemporary beauty.