Silas Onoja By Agbonkhese Oboh His name is Silas Onoja. He drew on any available surface as a boy. And got some beatings for ‘desecrati...
By Agbonkhese Oboh
His name is Silas Onoja. He drew on any available surface as a boy. And got some beatings for ‘desecrating’ certain surfaces. Today, Onoja is a hyperrealist. It means he paints pictures into life and can add emotions and realities that do not exist in a photograph. Whether the picture of reference is physical or mental, the end product is always the same — art that throbs with breath.
How do you start creating a work?
First, I prime the canvas surface. Then I make my sketch, after which I start applying my colours. After the first two layers of colour applications, I proceed to the final stage, which is the detailing part.
Some paintings take me more than a month and some two weeks to finish. It just depends on how complex the painting is.
When did you fall in love with painting?
I’ve been in love with drawing since my childhood days. But I’ll say my journey officially started in 2014, when I got my admission to study Fine Art at Benue State Polytechnic. That was where I found my calling in painting.
Among all the courses, I performed more excellently in painting. After I left school, I decided to invest everything (time, money etc) on improving and learning how to paint. I started practicing oil on canvas painting in 2016 and till date I’m still practicing.
Onoja, let’s go back to your childhood
Growing up was fun. I was born in a place I can call ghetto. My parents were not rich, but at least they could take care of us. I attended a public primary school, and then to a Catholic secondary school.
Growing up, I would always draw on everything I can find. Sometimes when I get caught drawing on places I shouldn’t have drawn on, I get spanked. After my secondary school education, I decided to give more time to my passion and I started practicing. And as God would have it, I got the admission to Study Fine Art.
ALSO READ: Picasso painting worth $26M attacked at Tate Modern in London
Have you had exhibitions?
Yes. I have done a group exhibition and two solo exhibitions. The first was in Nigeria in 2018 and the other was in Belgium in 2019.
Is there a theme or themes that run through your works?
Yes. Sure. My paintings mostly talk about hope. I feel my paintings enforce the belief that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Onoja, are your hyperrealistic creations your sole source of income?
Yes. At the moment. But in the future I hope to try out other things. For now I am also a freelance photographer. I need to improve on that.
But my dreams are to be celebrated as one of the greatest artists that ever lived, even while I’m still alive; and to have my paintings in some of the biggest museums around the world.
The post Growing up, I got spanked because I drew on everything — Onoja, hyperrealist appeared first on Vanguard News.
No comments