Our Clothing, in Dignity

Title – Our Clothing, In Dignity
Medium – Acrylic on Canvas
Dimension – 73cm by 90cm
Year – 2023

Dripping paint speaks.

My mind picks colors from memories of childhood and beyond of an Asian boy who grew up in Africa.

‘Oje’ was the market in Ibadan, Nigeria that served as a ‘clearing house’ for both artisanal woven and dyed cloth. The threads and the textures added to the many colors created a memorable experience that never left.

The passionate reds, the noble blues, and the near ‘stoic’ greys here. Our Clothing, In Dignity!

This piece depicts my inner feelings on canvas! Because profit is never enough!

As I pour my paints and watch them go into each other…I remember the many artisans who also worked with colors in this local textile industry. Mostly women, many vulnerable who had a regular income from it…fed their children and sent them to school…but then…

The merchants from the Far East and their rich friends back home wanted more money. They are never satisfied. So, they decided to copy and mass-produce the prints. Now many local artisans are losing their livelihoods by the day…their paints are drying up.

Dear entrepreneur…it is not all about profits! It is really about fulfilling the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations! It is about sustainable consumption and production.