Joseph Eze, 1975
Torso Bird.
“Through this aesthetic approach to figuration, we see a different conception of the function of the body, placed as a mnemonic device, and conceived as a platform for exploring the meaning of identity, very much akin to contemporary Tattoo culture”
Scrutiny and Surrender.
Everyday.
Isi Nko/Hook Hair.
About:
In Joseph Eze’s recent works on canvas, cultural references that span diverse time periods and geographies are juxtaposed and meshed together in an eclectic clash of forms. In the Tribal Kings/Tribal Queens series, Eze creates diptych paintings that depict the modern African couple, where tribal marks are paired with three piece suits, designer sunglasses, and branded logos. Eze points to the fact that there is an inherent tension in attempting to define an authentic sense of “African” or “Western” value systems. While speaking to an age of globalization where borders and cultures are in constant flux, Joseph Eze’s constructed world is not defined through the technologies of the digital age but by overlapping histories, artistic genres, and social norms..(text ArtTwentyOne, Lagos, Nigeria)