From 7th March to 31st May, we are proud to host “Kids at Play,” a definitive solo exhibition by Edem Agbenafa. This collection is not merely a series of paintings; it is a visual dissertation on the kinetic intelligence and unyielding spirit of childhood.
In this series, Agbenafa moves beyond simple depiction to explore the materiality of imagination. His subjects do not wait for the world to provide them with tools of joy; they engineer them from the environment. A discarded tire becomes a high-speed vessel; a wheelbarrow is transformed into a royal carriage; a bicycle is a vehicle for collective momentum.
Agbenafa’s work challenges the observer to look past traditional, often reductive narratives. Instead of focusing on “lack,” he highlights abundance—an abundance of creativity, a wealth of resilience, and a surplus of energy. He posits that play is a sophisticated form of human expression that transcends borders, speaking a language of movement that we all inherently understand.
Visually, the exhibition is a masterclass in emotional texture. Agbenafa employs a striking aesthetic strategy:
- The Monochrome Soul: By rendering the figures in nuanced greyscale, he strips away the superficial, focusing the viewer’s eye on the anatomy of a smile and the tension of a race.
- The Primary Pulse: The use of vibrant, high-saturation colours for the clothing creates a “visual heartbeat” against the textured, neutral backgrounds. This color choice isn’t just aesthetic; it’s a symbol of the vivid internal world these children inhabit.
- Impasto Energy: The heavy, tactile brushwork gives the air around the children a sense of friction and heat. You aren’t just looking at a scene; you are feeling the rush of the wind and the grit of the earth.
“Kids at Play” is an invitation to reconnect with our own foundational memories of wonder. It serves as a powerful reminder that the capacity for joy is a radical act of resilience. Through these works, Agbenafa bridges the gap between the observer and the observed, proving that while our backgrounds may differ, the frequency of laughter is identical.
We invite you to step into this world of velocity and light.
Explore the collection below.
