Smoke

About

Nigerian-Swiss artist Valerie Etitinwo creates abstract figurative paintings which celebrate the beauty of ugliness and awkwardness. Raised with dichotomous cultures, Etitinwo found art as a coping mechanism to interpret the world around her. Etitinwo’s artworks transcend each of her surrounding cultures to create work that is universally relatable through the celebration of imperfections. She creates her work with the conviction to push her creativity and expression to a level of intriguing “ugliness.” With each artwork, she fights the temptation of “cuteness” to go beyond what is expected.

This unique 31 inch by 39 inch acrylic painting on canvas is stretched, wired, and ready to hang. The sides of this artwork are painted and it does not require framing. It is signed by the artist on the front. Convenient local Los Angeles delivery. Affordable Continental U.S. and International shipping are available. A certificate of authenticity issued by the art gallery is included.

“I like creating art that catches the eyes not because of how pretty it is but because of how imperfect it looks. I’m really not a perfectionist. I’m quite the opposite. I’m an “imperfectionist”. I like how disorganized some of my pieces are. I like using bold colors and awkward shapes to represent humans. I would say my favorite artistic movement is cubism. But my artwork is definitely not cubism. I just have an appreciation for its absurd shapes, especially in portraits. I like painting faces like masks. “

As a very introverted person, Etitinwo likes observing people more than actually talking to them. Because she has been around Nigerian “aunties” her entire life, they nearly instantly became the subjects of her artwork. Etitinwo’s work revolves around their actions and mannerisms as she often didn’t quite understand them growing up. She works to create artworks that deconstruct Nigerian culture and stereotypes.

“ I’m old enough to understand them [stereotypes] but also young enough to question them.”