Arinze Stanley & Oscar Ukonu ‘The Weight Of Us’ @ Corey Helford Gallery [LA]

left: “Anchor” (charcoal, graphite, pastel, color pencils and acrylic on paper, 41.25” x 29.25”) by Arinze Stanley
right: “I’ll Take My Chances” (ballpoint pen on paper, 48 in x 34 in) by Oscar Ukonu

This weekend, Corey Helford Gallery is hosting the opening reception for a stunning duo exhibition by a pair of mind-blowingly proficient visual artists from Nigeria. The Weight of Us will showcase the work of Arinze Stanley and Oscar Ukonu in what is described as “an intricate dialogue exploring the depths of shared humanity, emotional interconnectedness, and the complex interplay of individual and collective narratives.” There’s a lot to explore and unpack in their collections, but each of them produce the sort of work that has the ability to penetrate the being of the viewer first and foremost. The imagery is striking and affecting, even before it can be analyzed or deconstructed on any intellectual level. The pieces possess a bold, often noble, energy. You can feel them.

Stanley and Ukonu are both masters of hyperrealism, yet neither prioritize technical ability over artistic vision. Unfortunately, there are a number of artists that work in the genre who rely on intricate, visually impressive technical ability to create emotionally sterile work. It’s difficult to deny the talent of anyone who can illustrate or paint photo realistic replicas, but if I can’t connect to some level of humanity behind a piece, it might as well be generated by a robot. The work featured in The Weight Of Us does have a weight to it. There’s a heft, but they are also gentle, delicate, powerful, and uplifting. The skill on display is mesmerizing, but it’s wielded masterfully in service of the message.

Arinze Stanley works in mixed media, utilizing charcoal, pastels, graphite, color pencil, and acrylic, playing with a mix of monochromatic and vivid imagery. Many of his pieces feature subjects interacting, even intertwining to reflect ideas of intimacy, strength, trust, mutual reliance, and care.

In contrast, Ukonu relies solely on ballpoint pen to brilliantly create light, shadow, texture, and depth. Similar themes of shared experience, struggle, identity, and resilience radiate from the work, as does an endless beauty and inherent dignity imbued in the subjects.

Watch the following video with both artists conduted by the The Pond Collective.

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If you’re in the Los Angeles area this weekend, we recommend coming through for this show. This is the sort of work that begs to be witnessed in person.

Check out preview images for the exhibition below the following event details…