Thaw 2020

Monica Ikegwu's "Thaw" presents a figure emerging from a quilted blue expanse, crafted with oils. Look closely, and you’ll notice the way the blue consumes everything. The fabric behind the figure is painted with such detailed realism that the face of the person seems to melt into the quilted background. The fabric’s texture—those puffy, light-catching forms—it’s all about the paint's thickness, its lusciousness. See the way the colour creates shadows and light in the quilted design? The artist is unafraid to let the medium be present. The blue hue gives the whole painting a cool feeling. It’s like the figure is coming out of a dream. It reminds me a little of Barkley L. Hendricks, or even Njideka Akunyili Crosby. I love the dialogue between the artist's treatment of materials and the person’s presence. It is so cool to see artists having conversations, right?