Based on the human aura, the artist eliminates skin colour and boundaries in his paintings, in effect removing limits on humanity and the ways we imagine our existence

Born in 1994, Ekene Stanley Emecheta is a self-taught Nigerian artist, who studied civil engineering but followed his dreams of becoming a creative genius. Often working in commissions, he makes portraits and works with charcoal and graphite, as well as other mediums and materials such as pastels, acrylic, Bristol paper and canvas with his own self designed technique of drawing. The artist states, “the purpose of my art is to deliver a message wrapped up in captivating, well-detailed images leaving it up to the viewer to unwrap the package and decide the message.” His art is different and compelling, each piece has a story to tell that inspires conversations and evokes emotions. We chat to this intriguing creative on his process, the messages he wants to convey through his work and his advice for aspiring artists.  

As a self-taught artist, when did you first create and what about art is so fascinating to you? 

I started creating at a very young age. I can’t truly remember but I know at age four, I had already started drawing and since then I never stopped creating. Seeing how someone else’s mind works in a series of paintings… Seeing someone else’s thoughts being expressed in physical form… It’s interesting to me.

How would you describe your art to someone who has never seen it before?

I would say they are different and compelling. Each piece has a story to tell. It’s more than just aesthetics. It creates a conversation that could evoke emotions. My art is mostly figurative and rendered in semi-transparent white colour. These figures could either be from my private life, from fantasies or history. My paintings are based on human aura and I represent this aura in the form of different carefully chosen colours that I paint over with white.

You deliberately eliminate the skin colour of the protagonist in each painting - what is the rationale behind that? What drives you to develop your work towards this direction?

When I eliminate the skin colour, it removes the boundary that makes us limit how we can imagine ourselves. It’s more see-through, creating a sense of inward expression. This also spreads the viewer’s focus to not just how the figures look but, their essence, their form, what they are doing, how they are dressed and the background they are in.

Can you share with us the people, places, cultures or concepts that inspire you?

Naturally, I get inspired by any new location I find myself in. My last works have been influenced by the time I spent in Athens and the Greek islands of Hydra as well as Lagos and Abuja where my studio is based. When it comes to people, I could say Titus Kaphar, Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, Kerry James Marshall, Claude Monet, Toyin Ojih-Odutola, Daniel Arsham, Pablo Picasso, Kanye West, Virgil Abloh, Elon Musk… The list could go on and on but these mentioned have always been great influences to me.

What messages would you like to deliver through your work? Are you sometimes surprised by your viewers’ reactions? 

In my practice, each work or series of work has its own message. I make works with the purpose of trying to inspire unity in humanity, positivity, preserve history, forge the future, and capture beautiful moments in time. I’m never surprised about people’s reactions towards my work. I could either be excited about it or not. Nevertheless, I love seeing people converse with my work.

How long does it take for you from conceiving an idea to finishing a piece? What is your workflow like? Do you listen to any music as you create? 

There’s really no specific time frame for my pieces. It depends on the work, my frame of mind and the working environment. Larger works take longer time. I create faster and better when I’m in a good mood, I work faster when I’m by myself and usually at midnight these days. I could make a five by four feet work in two days, but at the same time I could take two weeks on the same size of work. I can say I haven’t spent up to a year on one piece. Not yet. Regarding my workflow, I sleep a lot during the day and create from night till dawn. I make sure I get enough sleep and rest when my body needs it. When I paint I always listen to music. I listen to hip hop, Afrobeat, jazz and soul mostly. 

Has your art style evolved over time?

Yeah it has. The evolution shows as I go deeper into what I’m trying to express.

What is your favourite piece that you’ve produced so far?

Every single one of them. [laughs] I have equal love for ‘my babies’. 

What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

Never stop, never settle, never compare your journey with anyone else’s, outdo yourself as much as you can, try as much as possible to make an impact and give back.

Can you share with us a recent favourite exhibition/film/artist/design store/gallery space of yours? 

I really enjoyed the solo exhibitions, Truthful Waters by me at the Breeder Gallery and Family Ties by me at Daniel Benjamin Gallery.