2024

"What is, What was, What could be" is an exploration of personal connections to Nigeria, New York City, and the passage of time, intertwined with the identity of a man born into Christianity. This collection explores the experience of living in a city distant from one's birthplace, profoundly shaping self-perception and understanding of others. Through his work, Nwadike delves into extreme aspects of identity, particularly masculinity, shedding light on how patriarchy imposes constraints and extracts from women, while often overlooking the construction or obstruction of masculinity in men.

The artist's process is deeply intertwined with his diverse upbringing, reflecting on inter-tribal and inter-racial interactions. Through the use of distinct mediums such as acrylic and charcoal, Nwadike emphasizes the coexistence of different perspectives and experiences. Each painting begins with a story, carefully chosen to reflect past and current events, allowing viewers to emotionally connect with the subjects.

Viewers are invited to engage with the subjects in each painting, celebrating the highs and lows of individual experiences while questioning societal norms and personal boundaries. This collection challenges conventional notions of beauty, revealing its inherent complexity encompassing both brightness and darkness.

While some works serve as a tribute to Nigeria, contrasting the idealized portrayal of New York City life, others subtly reference religious patriarchy, reshaping the construction of masculinity and ambition in both locations. Through contradictions in emotion and action, this collection encourages introspection and self-discovery, inviting viewers to confront and navigate their emotional landscapes, engage with the evolution and refinement of the series, and gain essential insight into understanding urban livelihoods.

Curator: Jomani Danielle

Opening: 25th May, 2024

Closing: 8th July, 2024

The Southampton African American Museum

245 North Sea Road, Southampton, NY 11968

2024

Juried By: The Bold Art Society

Opening Event: January 13 | 12-3 pm

Closing Date: May 11th, 2024

The Southampton African American Museum

245 North Sea Road, Southampton, NY 11968

2023 - 2024

Juried By: Grace Kook-Anderson

Opening Event: November 11, 2023

Closing Date: February 25, 2024

The Whatcom Museum

Lightcatcher Building

250 Flora St, Bellingham, WA, 98225.

2023

Urban Summer: Exploring Artists and Contemporary Art.

Contemporary art, produced by artists living today, serves as a mirror to our intricate, dynamic, and swiftly evolving world. This form of artistic expression delves into many intricate themes and issues that shape our global landscape. Contemporary artists engage with matters such as personal and cultural identity, societal and institutional critiques, and even the redefinition of art itself. Their creative endeavors often bring forth challenging and thought-provoking inquiries, intentionally avoiding straightforward solutions. In navigating contemporary art, an inquisitive mindset, receptiveness, and a dedication to meaningful conversations are vital tools for understanding and appreciating its complexities.

Opening Event: Thursday, August 17th

Georges Berges Gallery

462 West Broadway | New York.

2023

February 16th - March 18th

The works in this exhibition take on the broad genres of portraiture and figure and address the unique ways the artists see others and themselves. Through paint, paper, wood, or metal each artist harnesses the innate qualities of their chosen medium and reflects on its capability of bridging the figurative and the conceptual, the traditional and the modern, the found and the fabricated. Our featured artist’s visual language is informed by the African American culture's majesty, offering delightful narratives and ultimately bridging the past and future.

Co-curated by Romeo Robinson

Monterroso Gallery

1824 Spring St. Houston, TX 77007

2023

Online Exhibition.

Teravarna Art Gallery, Los Angeles, California.

March 2023

2023

Gallery and Online Exhibition.

Las Laguna Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA.

March 02, 2023 - March 31, 2023

2023

The human figure is not only one of the most enduring subjects for artists but also one of the most challenging. Subject to various interpretations depending on cultures and time periods, it can be both familiar and mysterious, comforting and challenging, the eternal theme of human existence. Nomadic, now in its second edition opens from February 3rd to February 28th featuring the work of Albertus Joseph, Bree, Candace Leslie, Charlie Elo, Danny Peguero, Dauris Martinez, Jennifer Caviola, Joddys Tollinchi, Micalla Capellan, Mayowa Nwadike, Mr. Ayobe, Rush Humphrey, Ruthy Valdez, Temirei Matyo whose work explores the diversity of interpretations and versatility of the human form.

Nomadic invites the viewer to observe how the human figure is rendered while focusing, not on how we are depicted (as subjects) but on how we conceive infinity, travel through space, and experience time.  

Curated by FROM THE GROUND UP Studios.

NS1 Gallery 

1614 3rd Ave

New York, NY

2023

Museum of Science & Industry (MSI) Chicago

January 16 - April 23, 2023

2022-2023

The African American Museum, Dallas.

Curated by Gerald Leavell

December 27, 2022 - March 21, 2023

2022 - 2023

The exhibition duration is from December 15, 2022, to January 5, 2023, hosted by Exhibizone, Ontario, Canada.

Link to smart group exhibition:

https://www.exhibizone.com/emptiness2022

Personal exhibition page:

https://www.exhibizone.com/emptiness2022?name=mayowa-nwadike

This Online Gallery Show will be available in the Virtual Gallery from November 22 through January 22, 2023

Link to Virtual Gallery: https://shows14.wixsite.com/mysite

Online Reception via Zoom Sunday, December 4, 2022, 5 pm PST:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88216430201?pwd=cjVmYU1pcGhBYXFHczVZSjZGaWcxUT09

Passcode: MSA

2022

The exhibition duration is from December 10, 2022, to January 10, 2023

Link to smart group exhibition:

https://www.exhibizone.com/diversia-november-2022

Personal exhibition page:

https://www.exhibizone.com/diversia-november-2022?name=mayowa-nwadike

2022

The Jones Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Wednesday, November 2nd - Thursday, November 24th 2022

2022

Subjects are fundamental. To the stories we tell, the films we see, and the pieces we observe. They are crucial guides and in turn help us better understand ourselves, others, and the world around us. But who are these subjects outside of the story we’re being told?

Subject.ive invite you to connect with these subjects outside of a single story.

Okrent challenges the roles of femininity and portraiture by considering how nature and self fit into the context of normal. Her work is a personal exploration of how she experiences control and release while reflecting on her Jewish heritage of diaspora. She explores the feelings of home in self, rather than in location. Her work confronts one’s desire and illusion of control at all times. There is a rejection of perfection through self-protection.

Nwadike creates thought-provoking portraits showcasing individuals outside of their traditional stories; emboldened and celebrated for their strength. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, Nwadike saw women play a central role in his community in parallel with a lack of appreciation for their sacrifices. Channeling this frustrating contradiction into his art, these pieces aspire to investigate and challenge the status quo through a series of Afro-centric portraits featuring strong lines and bold colors.

Subject.ive is Okrent and Nwadike’s first show together. Okrent is based in Boston, Massachusetts. Nwadike is based in New York, New York.

The opening reception is at Gallery Petite on Friday, October 14th from 6:00-10:00 PM. Gallery hours are from 12:00-6:00 PM Saturday, October 15th-Tuesday, October 18th, 2022.

Curated by: Sarah Carey

2021

The Holy Art Gallery, The Factory, London, UK