Ominous Orange 2019

Monica Ikegwu made this portrait, Ominous Orange, using oil paint. Isn’t it amazing how she captures a figure with such precision, yet leaves room for process? It’s like she’s saying, "Here I am, in all my complex, layered self." The orange background really pops. It's not just a flat backdrop; it has depth, a kind of atmospheric quality. The texture looks pretty smooth, allowing the figure to take center stage. The way Ikegwu handles the folds of the jacket is just brilliant. You can almost feel the puffy material. But for me, it’s all about the eyes. Those eyes have a story to tell, a world of emotions swirling within. It reminds me a bit of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, who also paints imagined figures with such presence and poise. Art's one big conversation, you know? Each artist building on what came before, adding their own voice to the mix.