Rising Stars: Daniel Oguche

My Art is inspired by my immediate environment, life experiences; both in the past and in the present. I employ the use of traditional beads which are symbolical to certain cultures of my people. My work cuts across themes like love, struggle, culture and Identity. The delineation of Owls in my work is a symbol of identity of the Ogugu community which was named after Owls by my Ancestors. I create Art because I see it as a form of propagating culture and telling stories of my people. The influence of the Western culture tends to make people forget their culture. Hence, I create Art so that people can remain in tune with their culture. Art to me therefore is therapeutic, a tool and a voice. The representation of my subjects with yellow and black eyes is to give them an identity, because those colour have great value on the Igala Kingdom. The yellow or gold color represents hospitality and richness while the black represents fertility and the mineral resources of the land. I hope to create a form of dialogue between my subjects and my audience. The subjects in my Art works are people I come in contact with: friends and family