About
There’s an unmistakable air of confidence and self-assuredness that radiates from the eyes of the muses REWA masterfully captures on her canvases. Their gazes both invite you in like an old friend, yet still intimidate enough to keep you at bay, in the knowledge that the viewer is not entirely worthy of their presence.
Regality is the phrase best used to describe REWA’s work. Not in the gaudy sense that imposes its will, or shines so brightly one is forced to turn away. But in the quiet, subdued manner that commands respect and holds your attention effortlessly.
REWA’s bold figurative portraits are by all accounts an extension of the artist herself. A melting pot of varying influences, cultures, and experiences that have shaped and moulded a person as comfortable haggling the price of lace fabric in the heart of the hustle and bustle of Onitsha market as they are blitzing through the high-end boutiques of London and Paris.
Born and raised between Nigeria and England, REWA’s hybrid upbringing greatly informs her work and indeed perfectly depicts the sensation that is the modern Afropolitan woman. Forward thinking, progressive, uninhibited, and self aware, yet still rooted, albeit loosely, in the expectations, duty and responsibility that tradition and ancient customs dictate.
In REWA’s case, that tradition and ancient custom is that of the Igbo people of South East Nigeria, who are often described as Nigeria’s most industrious and enterprising, as well as their most independent of thought and practice. The ancient value system and customs of the Igbo people, and their fierce independence, are evidenced in the themes REWA unpacks in her portraits, seen through a contemporary lens. Essential themes such as the importance of coming of age, engagement, marriage, and playing one’s part in community and society at large are fundamental to REWA, and seamlessly blend the old with the modern. Adapted, but never compromised to suit the times.
In 2024, REWA’s practice ascended to global prominence. Her blockbuster institutional solo exhibition at The Africa Centre in London cemented her as one of the leading voices in contemporary African art, drawing record breaking crowds and widespread critical acclaim. That same year, she was featured in the music video of global superstar Usher, her striking presence and artistic voice reaching far beyond the gallery space. Later, she became the first African artist in the 62 year history of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to be commissioned to design its official poster. Her creation, Agbogho Mmuo, inspired by the Igbo spirit maiden and adorned with Uli motifs and Nsibidi script, boldly unified African iconography with the warmth and vibrancy of the Canary Islands.
What sets REWA apart from most contemporary artists today is that she transcends the title of artist and is all but in name, a historian and chronicler of the evolution of her ethnic group, nation and continent in real time. Through her work, we witness firsthand the assertion and confidence of women, their ability to code switch and dip effortlessly between the West and the African continent whilst retaining their essence, and above all else, the liberty of having options. Unbound by patriarchy and freed from the limiting gaze of art history’s traditional canon.
Beyond being aesthetically captivating, REWA’s work is intellectually stimulating, thought provoking and educational. Though she works through the medium of acrylics, it is well within reason to liken the importance of her practice to that of fellow Nigerian cultural giants such as Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whose work, like REWA’s, has placed an illuminating spotlight on both past and contemporary Nigerian society, its inhabitants and their worldview.
SELECT WORKS
“How a culture survives depends on its people’s capacity to learn and transmit it to succeeding generations. In post-colonial Nigeria, many older Igbo traditions and rites became obsolete as customs faded and gave way to pervasive western systems. Through my art, I would like to provide viewers with an understanding of Nigeria’s rich legacy and educate a wider audience on the symbolic practices of our forebears before it is lost entirely.”
Notable Collectors
AXA-XL Insurance Company | Corporate Collection
Beth Rudin De Woody, Art Patron | The Bunker Art Space
Gina Monette, Vice President, Capital One Bank & Board Trustee, Contemporary Art Centre of New Orleans
CCH Pounder, Art Patron and Hollywood Actress
The Bentata Collection | ICA Miami Trustees
Kent Kelley, Art Patron