Mòyòsóré Martins

A year ago, Olivier Varenne discovered the works of Mòyòsóré Martins in New York. Captivated by the brutalist and vibrant paintings of the artist, born in 1986, of Nigerian and Brazilian origin, he decided to show the first solo exhibition in Europe.

From the canvases with deliberately rough lines and surfaces, we can see a singular and repetitive common thread like a mantra around a series of motifs. Eyeballs, large mouths with enormous teeth from which sounds seem to come out, numbers - his year of birth - characters in white and blue striped costumes, this textile that his grandfather wore, was reserved for the chief of a Yoruba village. Surrounded by a large number of his paintings, African sculptures and countless objects illustrate his propensity to bring together an eclectic collection that refers to his journey between two continents. On the shelves and on the floor, the sidekicks of the most famous comic book characters rub shoulders with works by well-known artists, some of the most iconic vintage furniture and objects, and also a high-level music installation, because Martins especially loves jazz.

Martins has recently become one of the most collectible artists, even though nothing destined him to become an artist. Raised in Lagos by parents who were resistant to his desire to pursue an artistic education, he opted to study computer science in Ghana. Arriving in the United States in 2015, his path was not all mapped out. Through the Light, the title of the exhibition, refers to the early years of his settlement in New York, where he worked in many precarious jobs, notably as a night watchman. Today, Mòyòsóré Martins sees the light he had hoped for, he who only paints at night in memory of a before.