Judge Me 2017

Monica Ikegwu’s portrait, “Judge Me,” is a powerful statement painted with an eye for the figure in a semi-abstract space. I can imagine her wrestling with each stroke, trying to capture the emotional and psychological weight of the figure. The coolness of the figure contrasts with the hot pink of the backdrop, a tension that makes me think about the pressures and expectations of a surveilled life. I wonder if she’s thinking about the work of someone like Marlene Dumas, who also painted figures with a frankness and directness that invites discomfort. The pink and blue feels saccharine and childish and this contrasts with the adult figure in black. The surface is built up with layers of paint, a testament to the many revisions and decisions that went into the final image. Each gesture, each color choice, feels deliberate and full of meaning. In the end, Ikegwu's painting joins a chorus of artists who explore the complexities of representation, offering a glimpse into the human experience.