Zekiah x Destiny 2020

Monica Ikegwu's 'Zekiah x Destiny' is a painting dominated by blues, where figures emerge from and converse with the tonal ground. I wonder what it was like for Ikegwu to paint this? I try to imagine her layering those blues, figuring out how to make the fabric drape just so, so we get a feel for the texture. The details in the clothing are amazing. Look at the jacket's zipper and how she captures the different sheens of the various textiles. The painting is a conversation between texture and flatness. This piece reminds me a little of Barkley Hendricks, though with Ikegwu, there's a different kind of stillness, a kind of quiet pride in the subjects. It’s a kind of exchange between artists across time, each adding their own voice to the conversation.