Artxadeprints.com

This piece of abstract art, painted with acrylic on 18" x 24" stretched canvas, explores the resilience of life amidst precariousness. A lone tree clings to the edge of a cliff, its roots cascading downward like threads of survival, echoing the waterfall beside it. The tree, with its lush and protective canopy, seems to defy gravity, growing outward toward a deep blue sky. Its roots mirror the cascading waters, both representing forces of life, flow, and persistence. On the left, tall, flame-like trees rise upward, adding a vertical counterbalance and a sense of spiritual ascent, while the golden hillside and distant flora suggest abundance beyond the precipice. In creating this work, I was inspired by the idea that strength is not just in what is seen above ground, but in what lies beneath, the unseen, enduring connections that anchor us even in the face of falls.

This painting captures the fierce and majestic spirit of Ṣ ango , the revered Oriṣa of thunder, lightning, and justice in Yoruba mythology. With symbolic double axes raised high and feet firmly planted in a blaze of red flames, Ṣango stands as a figure of power, defiance, and divine authority. The swirling strokes and dynamic colour contrasts reflect the raw energy of storms and the Oriṣa’s commanding presence. His red and white regalia, colours sacred to his cult, symbolise both purification and the ferocity of elemental fire. The background, painted in turbulent textures, echoes the chaos and beauty of nature under Ṣango's command. Inspired by ancestral memory and spiritual symbolism, this piece pays homage not only to the deity himself but also to the enduring strength of Yoruba traditions and cosmology.

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Size: 16" x 20" Date: 2024 Artist: Matthew Medupin "Pulse of Creation” explores the moment of emergence when energy, purpose, and motion converge to ignite life. At the heart of the painting is a segmented circle, each part representing dimensions of existence: the mechanical, the organic, the spiritual, and the unknown. From its red core, thread-like arrows radiate outward, representing life force extending beyond boundaries, reaching into possibility. The diagonal bands flowing from each corner toward the centre symbolise diverse forces of  time, elements, or lived experiences, all drawn into the pulse that sustains creation. The gear-like imagery embedded in one quadrant hints at the underlying systems that drive and support life, while the radiant tones of red, black, yellow, and white reflect stages of growth, action, and reflection. Spontaneously composed, the work captures the instinctual and intuitive rhythm of creativ...

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Size: 16" x 24" Artist: Matthew Medupin "Balancing on the Edge of Worlds” explores the fragile dance between survival and transcendence, fear and freedom. At the heart of the composition is a silhouetted human figure teetering on a narrow, invisible threshold with one leg grounded on the brink of a cascading waterfall, the other raised behind in mid-motion, arms stretched out as though caught in the moment between flight and fall. The painting is divided into two distinct realms: above, a dome-like celestial body rendered in swirling, fiery earth tones and framed by a speckled starry night sky. This is suggestive of a churning universe, a metaphor for the weight of the world or the chaos of life. Below, a powerful waterfall plunges into a mysterious, unseen depth, its cascading multicoloured strokes evoking energy, emotion, and descent. The figure at the center is both bold and vulnerable. It symbolises the human s...

This abstract painting seeks to confront the brutalised state of democracy. At the heart of the composition, deep, blood-red tones bleed across the canvas. This is symbolic not just of violence, but of a rupture in national trust and civic dignity. Thread-like forms resembling  barbed chains entangle the frame, suggesting a system once free now bound by unseen but suffocating forces. Hints of ballot-like shapes seem to dissolve or drip which signify the corrosion of electoral integrity. The viewer is pulled into an emotional space, where hope is caught between resistance and suppression. This is not just a visual metaphor; it is a cry against political captivity, a tribute to silenced voices, and a stark reminder of the cost when democracy is betrayed.

Life in the boarding school was a completely foreign experience to me. My first visit to Ochaja had lasted only two days, just enough time to attend the admission interview. That brief encounter didn’t allow for much interaction with the existing students, though I did notice a few other candidates from my local government area who spoke the same dialect as I did. Still, that visit gave me no real glimpse into what life in boarding school was truly like. When I arrived for the school term, I was received by the House Master, who directed me to my dormitory and showed me my bed. It was a double-decker bunk, with mine being the top. I had barely settled in when the school bell rang. I didn’t know what it signified. A boy hurried past me, shouting something I couldn’t quite make out. The student on the opposite bed told me it was time to go to the stream. I remembered the stream from my earlier visit. It was about a 10-minute jog from the school and served as the primary pla...