July 2024 Featured Artist

---

Nigerian Artist's Works Speak to the Challenges
​ of Our Collective Human Race and a Hopeful Tomorrow
An Interview with
Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

Jane Ugah
Photo Courtesy: Jane Ugah
​(Artwork: "A Treasure to Find" ~ Acrylic & Wax Print Fabric on Canvas, 24 x 30 inches)

Jane Eveshodioni Ugah is a Nigerian visual artist from the rocky town of Ososo, Edo State. She holds a BFA from the University of Benin, Benin City.

Jane uses nature as an inspiration and aesthetic. She paints surreal personalities embedded with the essence of the natural world. Her works evoke a sense of escape and a reflection on human relationships, cultural-religious mythology, and the ecosystem. She uses acrylic, oils, wax print fabric, and other mediums as a means of expression.

The bodies in much of her figurative work are depicted as fragmented rock layers, representing cracks in the human psyche and lines on our skin. Her work exudes a feeling of solitude and tranquility away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

She has been featured in group exhibitions including: “Identity - Who are you?” 1952 Africa Art Gallery, Lagos; “Spain-Nigeria Finals Exhibition,” Matrix Gallery of Contemporary Art, Abuja; and “Bloom,” R.W Norton Art Gallery, Louisiana.

Jane lives and works in Abuja, Nigeria.

---

"As an artist, my work seeks to raise awareness about our fragile ecosystem, evoking a feeling of tranquility. I hope viewers experience a temporary escape from a fast-paced, urban lifestyle, while having a subconscious desire for eternal life." ~ Jane Ugah

---

Myrna Haskell, executive editor, has been admiring Jane's work on Instagram for quite some time. Her vibrant work celebrates her culture and her love of community and the natural environment. In this Q&A, Jane discusses several of her pieces, particularly those that represent challenges faced by the human race. Sanctuary's mission is to connect women from across the globe, and we are thrilled to feature our first artist from Nigeria.

​Please tell our readers about your natural surroundings in Abuja, Nigeria.

Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria and in the middle of the country.

My stay in this city has been adventurous. I enjoy mountain climbing, visiting green parks, and taking a stroll while observing trees arranged by the roadside. I particularly enjoy the flowers blooming in spring and visiting the lake and zoo. I love experiences that influence me in a positive and fulfilling way.

​​Where did you study art?

I studied at the university of Benin (UNIBEN), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine and Applied Art. It is a public research university located in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
​
What is your favorite medium?

I currently work with acrylic colors on canvas, but I also enjoy using pen and ink on paper, pencil on paper, and oil on canvas. As an artist, I love to change up forms of expression with different mediums, and I look forward to more experimentation with future projects.

What kinds of opportunities do you have as a woman artist in Abuja?

In Abuja, the art market is rising as new galleries and museums are being built, and the artist communities are growing and bonding. My experiences so far have been exciting. I attend workshops, artist talks, studio visits, and I enjoy participating and networking at exhibitions. I would say that the opportunities are numerous.

Prime of Life
Acrylic & Wax Print Fabric on Canvas ~ 36 x 36 inches
© Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

Jane Played Piano for Guests During a 1952 Africa Gallery Exhibition Event (2022)
Photo Courtesy: Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

Every July, we focus on our relationship with the environment and how we can do better to help maintain a healthy ecosystem. Many of your portraits incorporate elements of nature. Please explain what you hope the viewer takes away from this.

The world today is facing unprecedented, interconnected environmental challenges in areas including climate change, access to clean water, ocean health, and biodiversity. As an artist, my work seeks to raise awareness about our fragile ecosystem, evoking a feeling of tranquility. I hope viewers experience a temporary escape from a fast-paced, urban lifestyle, while having a subconscious desire for eternal life.

The human figures in my paintings have a crack-like pattern, symbolizing an exaggerated representation of the lines on our skin. These works resemble elements of nature but also represent challenges to our health.

My artistic style is heavily influenced by my experiences in trying to reconnect with nature and other encounters of humanity in the cycle of life. I aim to portray the contrasting themes of fantasy intertwined with reality, as well as the coexistence of life and death, and the merging of cultural and religious mythology.

Mother Nature
Acrylic on Canvas ~ 22 x 28 inches
© Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

Father Nature
Acrylic on Canvas ~ 22 x 28 inches
© Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

In your piece "Water Fall in Spring," does the colorful waterfall represent tears of happiness or joy?
 
The waterfall represents a burst of emotions. It can be a relief to express either joy or sorrow and rage depending on the moment.

“Earth Laughs in Flowers” is the captivating title to one of your pieces.
​
“Earth Laughs in Flowers” is a self-portrait, whose title was coined from the famous phrase of American writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson. But this piece describes positive thoughts and radiates beauty, releasing energies to help sustain and attract positive growth in the universe. Literally, the blooming season is an introduction of beauty and color; therefore, life brings that exchange among humans to make the world a beautiful place to be in.
 
The gas mask filled with green vegetation in “Catch My Breath” is compelling.
​
The piece contrasts the harm caused by air pollution with the healing effects of visiting nature reserves and reforestation. It emphasizes the need for positivity and introspection, while acknowledging the importance of addressing environmental issues like pollution and climate change.

Water Fall in Spring
Acrylic on Canvas ~ 24 x 24 inches
© Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

Earth Laughs in Flowers (Self-Portrait)
Acrylic on Canvas ~ 17 x 11 inches
© Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

Catch My Breath
Acrylic on Canvas ~ 36 x 36 inches
© Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

You have a series in blue which is a celebration of Black culture. You’ve also left a beautiful texture on the skin.
 
Blue is a color I find soothing, so I explored the blue pen and ink medium, which celebrates my models through a series of drawings. I still explore this medium occasionally.
​
The “End SARS” piece is very powerful.

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was a notorious unit of the Nigerian Police known for its long record of abuse against Nigerian citizens. Massive protests and demonstrations began against police brutality on the streets and on Twitter (X).

Protests on the 20th of October 2020 led to several deaths. I cried and wondered if the innocent lives lost would imagine Nigeria in a better state. Unfortunately, things have grown worse in the economic system.

"I want to live in peace in a place that isn't safe." ~ Jane's Instagram (October 27, 2020)

What are you working on now?

I’m presently working towards creating a body of work for a show.

End SARS
Mixed Media ~ 24 x 24 inches
© Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

Where do you find sanctuary?
​
I find sanctuary in the beauty of the universe, positive relationships with loved ones, and the arts.

---

Photo Courtesy: Jane Eveshodioni Ugah

Jane's INSTAGRAM

CONTACT

---