By Sam Adeoye
Sometimes, you never know what life really have in stock for you until you find yourself in your habitat. Until you find yourself where you real belong mentally, emotionally, martially and career wise. It wasn’t a mistake when it was said that “blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the unreasonable, nor stands in the path of outlaws, nor sits in the seat of the disdainful; but his delight is in the act of the Aristocrat, and in His rule he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its produce in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
So many number of people are wasting away despite the amount to virtues they’re filled with; due to the fact that there are no enabling environment to exhibits the potentials they bear within, nor have the technical knowhow to explore the opportunities that are right there steering at them in the eyes.
Achievements in life is opportunity met preparations. You don’t prepare for war in the midst of battle. You get ready for a battle when there are no war in sight.
Abiola Idowu is never a man that found himself where he is today by accident. Never! He is a man that got himself where he is today by creating a path to success for himself and follow through with the same even when the environment, the society and the community he was born into and grew up in presented him with another option.
Abiola Idowu was born and grew up in Lagos, Nigeria; but now lives and works in Brampton, ON. Canada.
He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira, Nigeria in 2002 with Bachelor of Fine Arts, and in 2007 he bagged his Master of Creative Arts from the University of Lagos, Lagos Nigeria. Between 2002 when he graduated till date, he had received so many Awards and recognitions for his creative and inspirational work such as: Art Acclaim Award, Brampton Ontario 2022, Art Acclaim Award, Brampton Ontario, 2021, Residency, Iroko Fine Art, Nairobi Kenya, 2014, Bronze Medal, Black Festival, Lagos Nigeria, 2010, First Place, Nigeria-Italy Art of Friendship Festival, Abuja Nigeria, 2009, Third Place, Nigeria-Egypt Art Competition, Abuja, Nigeria, 2009 and Scholarship, National Sculpture Society, 2002.
In the cause of his career as an Artist, he had done so many Solo Exhibitions which includes, Liquid Forms, presented by Canvas Invaders, Toronto Ontario, Sacrifice, TheMuseum, Kitchener Ontario, Excavation, Abiola Idowu Studio & Gallery, Brampton Ontario, 2022, Colorology, Malcolm’s Choice/Rodney Asikhia Gallery, Brampton, Ontario/New York NY, 2021, Between Lines, Shéré Art Gallery, Brampton ON, 2020, Mystery of Genesis, Faie African Art in Bronzeville, Chicago IL, 2019; Phenomenal, The Freedom Factory, Toronto ON, Togetherness, The Freedom Factory, Toronto ON, 2018; Abiola Idowu Solo Exhibition, Faie African Art in Bronzeville, Chicago IL, 2017 and Common Ground, John Christopher Studio, Columbus OH.
His forthcoming Solo Exhibitions titled, Homecoming, Wild Goose Creative, Columbus Ohio, Okan Ni Wa, The Tett Centre, Kingston Ontario and Genesis, presented by Canvas Invaders, Gallery 35, Brampton Ontario promised to be a bang.
Abiola is a professional Artist that kept revolving himself and seeking for avenues to showcase what he is made of and what he has to offer the world, the society and the community he belong; and this single attitude and perspective to life had granted him access to so many Group Exhibitions many will never smell in their lifetime.
Only those in the Art industry will attest to the fact that having Solo Art Exhibition is never as powerful and much engaging as having Group Exhibitions which sometimes sale the Artist out more than what anyone could imageine as the Artist have the opportunity to walk with his head high in the company of other great personalities in the field. It is a thing of little Wizkid having a concert show with R.Kelly or Davido having a concert show with Usher.
You need no one to tell that only the great walk and work with the great and this is one thing Abiola had done over and over again featuring in several Group Exhibitions such as;
Okunrin Meta, Faie African Art in Bronzeville, Chicago IL, 2021
Entwine, The Vanderelli Room, Columbus OH, 2017
Celebrating Women, Global Gallery, Columbus OH, 2015
United Nations 70th Anniversary Commemorative Exhibition, New York NY
Nude, Naked, Nature: A Contemplation Of The Human Body In Contemporary Pan-African Art Practice, Iroko Arts, Nairobi Kenya, 2013
Temporary Collection, The Orient Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa
Society of Nigerian Artists, Silverbird Galleria, Lagos Nigeria, 2012
Nigeria at 50, New York Art in the USA, New Jersey, 2011
Vision of Nigeria, Lagos Nigeria
FIFA World Cup Exhibition, Johannesburg South Africa, 2010
African Regional Exhibition and Summit on Visual Arts, Abuja Nigeria, 2009
He Professional Practice that never be pushed aside in the world of Art. From 2003 to 2015 he was a full-time Artist and Art Tutor with Abiola Idowu Art Studio situated in the Federal Capital City, Abuja and Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria respectively.
Exploring the world of art will not just let go of him. So in 2015 he established Abiola Idowu Art Foundation Abuja, Nigeria. A foundation established to support the world of art and as well as equipped the younger generations with the adequate knowledge of art. This of course is never out of place as he first discovered his artistic talent while in elementary school, where he would always be drawing. Seeing the joy of being able to create something out of the imaginary heart and mind of the children his is greatest achievements. Abiola grew up knowing he had an innate ability to create something that will be of benefits to humanity and it’s this same innate ability his helping other children to discover in themselves.
He remained the Founder and Director of the foundation till 2016; before going out of the country to work full time as a Sculpture Artist with Alan Cottrill Studio & Gallery Zanesville, OH and he remain there from 2016 to 2018 after which he founded Abiola Idowu Studio, Brampton Ontario and work as a full time Painter and Sculptor from 2018 to 2020.
It is a true saying that sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth. Make hay while the sun shines — that’s smart; go fishing during harvest — that’s stupid. The diligent they said find freedom in their work; the lazy are oppressed by work. This is true when Krystle Hewitt of Brampton Guardian had an interview with Abiola where he said that; “I love the fellowship. People are so good” in recognition to his works, Krystle Hewitt said; “Rampton artist finds inspiration in the city Abiola Idowu makes interactive art and giving back a key part of his work”.
Having been working as a Paint Artist for Thirty years; venturing into other line of career wasn’t that easy or comfortable for him as he was working as a Factory worker when he moved to Canada in 2018 and settle down in Brampton. He later left the factory job to pursue art full time.
Idowu art can be describes as contemporary, as his paintings has lots of lines, colours, shapes, figures and balance with deep metaphorical and ancient forktails mostly of Abstract which are inspired from the ancient magical and spiritual forms of art with instinct insights to foretell someone’s future and destiny.
His kind of art is about spreading a positive energy across the globe, focusing on a person / household at a time that’ll be able to transmits, transcend and transplant the positive energy of harmony, love, togetherness, unity, peace and oneness of purpose with his strokes of colours across the Canvas. In his words; “My kind of idea about life is the world is a Canvas, let’s preach it with love.”
A wise Man once said that; “be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns. Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around. Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night. When the clouds are full of water, it rains. When the wind blows down a tree, it lies where it falls. Don’t sit there watching the wind. Do your own work. Don’t stare at the clouds. Get on with your life. Just as you’ll never understand the mystery of life forming in a pregnant woman, so you’ll never understand the mystery at work in all that God does. Go to work in the morning and stick to it until evening without watching the clock. You never know from moment to moment how your work will turn out in the end.”
These words truly tell more about Abiola and his many community engaging charity volunteered works with Visual Arts Brampton since he arrived in the city. He has one of the fantastic system of engagement that are so amazing. His work life are well planned to avoid conflicts of engagement. In the night he works on his Paintings and Sculptures and in the day time he sacrifice himself towards the development of his community murals; most especially his series of art workshops. In his words; “interactive art is a way to give back to the people who have been so welcoming. The community has been so kind to me when I came in, they extended fellowship, which made me embrace Brampton so much. I want to contribute my quota to humanity. To put a smile on people’s faces through my art, to make people happy. To see my creativity, the joy I put on Canvas, let people feel it.”
Let’s share Ola’s Stories Sculpture Status at Brampton Library remain a masterpiece.
He is one of the Nigerian Artist that are taking the Visual Art to the next level. He had developed his works to a point of now having them on Crafts and several other day to day utilities that are meant to improve on human lives.
Not just that, his street paintings remain the best in its categories; as his works were based on experiences, insights, information, transformation of lives and inspiring the coming generations to see life beyond what ordinary mind could see; unplugging themselves from what is not working and attaching themselves to certainty and clarity of purpose.
Abiola Idowu is the perfect description of the words of King Solomon that says; “observe people who are good at their work — skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don’t take a back seat to anyone.” His hard work, discipline, honesty and creativity had made him the perfect description of a man who excels in his work. A man that will stand before Kings; and never stand before unknown men.
It was never a surprise when his hard work was recognized by the Canadian Government and an Award of recognition was given to him as a mark of identifying with his works, his person and all that he stands for. A man that is truthful to his word and pour so much of himself into his works.
As if that was not enough, his love for art, life, and humanity in general spur him to begin a class with the younger generations just to impact himself and all he knew into them. A concept that had given birth to an Eight Years old boy who made a landscaping Oil on Canvas Painting that blew everyone’s mind.
His series on Sacrifice remain a masterpiece. A depth into the world of divinity, religion, theology, spirituality, mysticism and holiness. A concept of art that revealed the invisibility, the supernatural, the opportunities and the ignorance that surrounds human lives, purpose of existence and the required steps needed to overcome obstacles of life and finding fulfilment in life.
The depth and the in-depth in his work is a clear exhibition of his walk with God and unquestionable relationship with God. Abiola Idowu is never a person that proclaimed his faith by just words, but a person that live a life worthy of emulations.
Abiola’s love for art and humanity is second to none; and this aspect of him was evidence in his 2009 “Once Upon A Time” series. A series of paintings that depicts the storms of life, the loneliness in hard times, the betrayal from individuals you think will be there for you that are never there for you, the backstabbing from those you trusted so much, the courage to wear your pains like a garment and smile even when all that you have left within is tears and struggles; and the love to keep loving yourself, loving what you do and loving everyone and everything in and around you. The “Once Upon A Time” series is a beam of light in the darkest hour of life.
“Unidentify Creation” series is a masterpiece that revealed the struggles and the pains most people suffered within that cannot be altered. The internal struggles. The fear of the unknown, the rejection and the risks needed to be taking to stay alive, relevant and riding above the crucifixion of man.
Embedded in his works are the realities of life, godliness, hope, love and versatility to create something unusual. His masterpiece with African print e.g “Ankara” is phenomenal. The Trainer Painting is a concept I see to dominate the global market sooner than expected.
To all artist out there. Be it paint artist, textile artist, sculptors, architect, animators or graphic artist. Never relent in your efforts to be the best you can. There are no limitations to how far you can go in life. As we were taught in school, artists are creators; the gods over their imaginations and creations.
Like the artists, you too can create something phenomena out of your life and situations. You can turn things around for good and if Abiola Idowu can do it, you too can do it.
See you at the top.