Adegbola Gallery, in collaboration with Fresco Gallery, has launched Asidere / Duke, a comprehensive exhibition featuring more than forty years of work by renowned Nigerian contemporary painter Duke Asidere. The exhibition delves into the dual identities that have shaped his artistic journey: the instinctive artist driven by emotion and memory, and the disciplined painter honed through formal training. Through a diverse collection of works using oil, acrylic, watercolour, graphite, ink, and mixed-media techniques, the exhibition examines the interplay between personal experience and social observation.
Inspiration from Nigerian Realities
Speaking about his inspiration, Asidere stated that life in Nigeria remains his greatest source of motivation, with the country's social and economic realities continually shaping his artistic expression. "If you live in Nigeria, Nigeria will inspire you," he remarked, highlighting challenges such as unreliable power supply, insecurity, and governance concerns as recurring influences on his work. The artist expressed particular concern over the security situation, especially the growing threat of kidnapping, which has discouraged many Nigerians from travelling by road.
Themes in the Exhibition
Asidere Duke highlights themes of womanhood, friendship, grief, domestic life, and Nigeria's social realities. Women feature prominently throughout the exhibition, reflecting the influence of the women who shaped the communities and homes where the artist grew up. The exhibition also addresses housing shortages, economic uncertainty, and social inequality—issues Asidere says have remained consistent themes throughout his career. "I've always been concerned about accommodation, housing issues, and economic challenges. We are in a period where it is difficult to predict anything, and that affects how people live," he explained.
Artist's Background
Born in Lagos in 1961, Asidere studied at Ahmadu Bello University and later lectured at Auchi Polytechnic. Despite growing up at a time when many parents encouraged careers in medicine, law, or engineering, he was fortunate to receive support from his father in pursuing art. The painter revealed that he once hoped to become a physics teacher but was eventually drawn to visual arts, where he has built a reputation for technical excellence and a distinctive visual language blending abstraction and figuration.
Personal Loss and Resilience
Personal loss plays a significant role in the exhibition. Asidere spoke about the grief of losing a son and, more recently, his mother—experiences that have profoundly influenced his outlook and artistic practice. "When you lose a child, something shifts in your life," he said, adding that pain and grief can either diminish a person or become a source of growth and reflection. Alongside themes of loss, the artist's works explore companionship and friendship, values he described as central to his life. He also acknowledged the influence of faith and religious culture on his worldview.
Message to Visitors
Asked about the message visitors should take away, Asidere said the works are intended to provoke thought rather than communicate a single interpretation. "My job is to make the work. People can take from it what they want," he stated. He encouraged resilience in the face of hardship, stressing the importance of hard work and personal discipline.
Organizers and Significance
The exhibition is presented by Adegbola Gallery, a Lagos-based gallery established in 2025 that focuses on research-driven and materially rigorous artistic practices, and Fresco Gallery, a nomadic gallery founded in 2022 that specializes in original prints and editions by African artists. According to the organizers, Asidere offers a comprehensive reflection on the artist's career, bringing together works that document the intersections of memory, emotion, and the social realities of contemporary Nigeria.
