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May Spotlight Artists: Geordan Bouhom, Olamilekan Okunade, and John Maina
- THE.CCART
- 14 minutes ago
- 2 min read
This May, THE.CCART spotlights three artists whose work reflects the emotional and social layers of everyday life. Geordan Bouhom, Olamilekan Okunade, and John Ruitha Maina each approach figurative painting as a way to observe, question, and document lived experience. Through subtle expression, material exploration, and urban narratives, their practices offer different perspectives on identity, environment, and human connection.
Geordan Bouhom: Holding Space for Emotion and Reflection
Geordan Bouhom is a Cameroonian visual artist whose work explores identity, emotion, and the quiet tensions of human experience. Based between Douala and Nkongsamba, he works primarily with acrylic on canvas and paper, using the human figure as a space for reflection and transformation. His subjects often appear with hidden or obscured faces, creating anonymity while allowing for wider connection. A distinctive use of purple runs through his compositions, building an atmosphere that feels both intimate and contemplative. Drawing from observation and lived experience, Bouhom’s work reflects on vulnerability, resilience, and the shifting relationship between the self and society.
Olamilekan Okunade: Painting Strength Through Pattern and Form
Olamilekan Okunade is a Nigerian artist based in Lagos whose work centres on the presence, strength, and lived experiences of women. Working primarily with acrylic, he creates figurative compositions built through interlocking patterns inspired by brick structures, forming layered surfaces that reflect connection and endurance. His focus on women is shaped by personal experience, particularly the influence of his mother. Through this perspective, Okunade explores themes of identity, care, and well-being, while drawing attention to the realities faced by African women. His work balances structure and emotion, creating portraits that feel both grounded and reflective.
John Maina: Mapping Urban Life Through Material and Texture
John Maina is a Kenyan visual artist based in Nairobi whose work captures the energy and complexity of urban life. Self-taught, he works primarily with acrylic, incorporating image transfers and newsprint to build layered compositions that reflect the textures of the city. Since 2023, Maina has used discarded cardboard as a surface, transforming waste materials into works that speak to patterns of consumption and environmental awareness. Drawing from the rhythms of Nairobi, his paintings reflect socio-economic realities and lived experience, particularly through series such as Hustlers of Nairobi. His work feels immediate and grounded, offering a direct connection to place and everyday life.
This May, explore the work of Geordan Bouhom, Olamilekan Okunade, and John Ruitha Maina. Through quiet emotion, layered surfaces, and urban narratives, their practices offer different ways of seeing the everyday, inviting reflection on how identity and environment shape the way we move through the world.
By THE.CCART
