“I think we can translate a lot of moods into color, and see it literally, too. I’ve been thinking about a lot of what it.mes ans to talk about identity, or question it."
Brimming with frenetic, lyrical energy and prismatic color, Jadé Fadojutimi’s (Hip) like a kaleidoscope (po) from 2021 evokes a powerful send of joy, situating itself prominently within the artist’s commanding oeuvre. Atop a base of thinly applied tangerine brush strokes, Fadojutimi engulfs her canvas with a plethora of abstract figures, incorporating undulating stripes, multicolored splotches, and piquantly scraped dots of different blues. Rounded forms of pink, yellow, and green confidently announce themselves within the unrestrained color field, recalling naturalistic tulip bulbs or plump summer fruit. With the dynamic energy of Action Painting, the present work presents a dynamic medley of oil, oil stick, and acrylic, recalling the renowned mark-making practices of Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Joan Mitchell as well as their propensity for working with large-scale canvases that defined their Abstract Expressionist vigor. Represented globally by Gagosian, Fadojutimi’s paintings were a highlight of The Milk of Dreams exhibition at the Central Pavilion of the Venice Biennale in 2022. Most recently, Fadojutumi was the subject of an acclaimed solo exhibition at The Hepworth Wakefield which closed in March 2023, while her paintings reside in several prestigious museum collects ions, including The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; and Tate, London.
While (Hip) like a kaleidoscope (po) has only shocks of green within its multichromatic make-up, it undeniably recalls a fluttering, effervescent garden. Flower petals appear to dance in the wind, leaves and blossoms interconnect, butterflies bring movement, and the enrapturing buzz of hummingbirds provides an ambiance of pristine, unchangeable serenity. The previous Edenic description is, of course, painted masterfully in complete abstraction – in (Hip) like a kaleidoscope (po) Fadojutimi quietly brings us into her world, then stupefies us with a sanguine intensity. As the artist describes, “Though they’re purely abstract landscapes, there’s a dialogue with figuration within that too. I like to think of them as being on the spectrum between abstraction and figuration. I’d like them to remain open for both myself and the viewers, who will have their own dialogue with them visually. This is when my title starts to play a role too.” (Jadé Fadojutimi quoted in: Nicholas Trembley, ‘Who is Jadé Fadojutimi, young painter already represented by mega-gallery Gagosian?’, Numéro, 2023, (online)) With the title as context for the present work, one can easily imagine this Arcadian garden as viewed through the lens of a variegated kaleidoscope.
“In these paintings, the world, in all of its chaotic glory, exists as an intimation. Art is not an explanation: it’s a shot of energy, a flash of color; a shimmer, a reaction, a line thrown out to see who might pick it up. Pictures are made by people and, like people, their tone can switch direction in the blink of an eye. A painting is a very human thing: they’re allowed to be messy. Jadé tells me that her aim is for ‘deep emotion, not deep description.’”
The act of layering paint is a hallmark of Fadojutimi’s process: through poetic mark-making, the artist builds up coats of pigment with rhythmic caresses, before intuitively scraping and scratching the canvas’s exacting surface to reveal a myriad of undulating grooves and sweeping strokes. This process well encapsulates her lovingly befitting moniker for these paintings – “emotional landscapes.” As Fadjotumi explains, her paintings "question the existence of feelings and reactions to daily experiences. They question our perceptions and perspectives whilst manifesting struggles. They recognize a lack of self caused by automatically thinking that my identity is already defined, and also a frustration that paint can accept these characteristics better than myself." (the artist quoted in: Exh. Cat., London, Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, Jadé Fadojutimi: Jesture, 2020 (online))
Fadojutimi takes inspiration from both internal and external sources, melding her experiences together to create her strident, intrepid canvases. Much like her layered paintings, she builds upon her own past, as she draws from her upbringing in suburban London, her Nigerian family, her interest in Japanese culture and video games. The result is powerful works of art that reflect a precise moment in t.mes , full of unique – but ultimately universal – emotions. “What I love about painting is that it’s a discussion with ourselves. When you see a work you’re drawn to, there’s always a moment where you want to leave but you can’t…I want my canvases to be spaces where people maybe recognize themselves and think, ‘I see this, and that’s okay, but why do I see this? And what does that.mes an to me?’” (the artist quoted in: Exh. Cat., London, Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, Jadé Fadojutimi: Jesture, 2020 (online)) With (Hip) like a kaleidoscope (po), Fadojutimi exceeds her painterly goals – the vibrant work commands our attention, immersing us in a wholly abstract realm that speaks to the artist’s inimitable painterly process.
