For ages, florals have served as an inspiration to artists, evoking themes of beauty, growth, and cultural symbolism. From the vibrantly expressive sunflowers of Vincent van Gogh, the flower paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol’s flowers series, the rendering of Jeff Koons monstrously cute puppy installations, and the playful multicolour blossoms of Takashi Murakami, it has been used in works of art to represent different moments of the ephemeral nature of human life like joy, love, hope, decay, and hardship.
In African art, as both subject and material, flowers have been used as backdrop, for the intricate patterns on clothes, and bodies of black figures. It has been photographed, painted, and used in large installations for its aesthetic beauty and rich symbolism.
This exploration introduces you to five African artists mastering the visual and conceptual use of florals in their work.
Mofoluso Eludire
Mofoluso Eludire, born in 1997, lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria. Working predominately in acrylics, Eludire’s works attempt to create narratives that speak to the female experience. Her subjects are unapologetic women who at times gaze directly at the viewer. For Eludire, flowers are usually considered beautiful things, yet they act as a restraint in her works.
Courtesy of the artist.
Courtesy of the artist.
Courtesy of the artist.
Courtesy of the artist.
Cherry Aribisala
Cherry Aribisala, born in 2000 and currently based in London, United Kingdom, creates without the limitations of medium or form. Her work is known for its audacious, vivid, and captivating nature. Florals take a central role in her work as she explores themes of order, mystery, and sanctuary. Her love for vibrant hues propels her to explore diverse narratives within each painting, inviting viewers to engage critically with the art.
At the core of Cherry’s current artistic exploration lies an examination of profound themes: the intricate interplay of mental well-being, the yearning for escapism, the embrace of vulnerability, and the navigation of emotional landscapes.
Courtesy of the artist.
Courtesy of the artist.
Courtesy of the artist.
Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou
Leonce Raphael Agbodjélou is a renowned Beninese photographer born in 1965. His practice is deeply rooted in African culture, particularly Benin, the Yorùbá people, and the history of Porto-Novo. The subjects in his work are friends, family, and studio customers. He is known for his carefully composed portraits of people in interior spaces, standing in brightly colored, traditional Yoruba costumes against mud brick walls. He employs the use of florals as props to depict the contradictions of a town that wrestles with the tension between traditional and progressive views on society. His 2012 series “Musclemen,” featured shirtless men holding colorful artificial flowers against flowery backdrops. His ongoing series, “Citizens of Porto-Novo”, features people in military attires delicately holding vases of artificial flowers in front of camouflaged walls. His work offers an interesting perspective on masculinity and culture in contemporary society.
Courtesy of NGC.
Courtesy of Jack Bell Gallery.
Courtesy of Jack Bell Gallery.
Morgan Otagburuagu
Born in 1997 in Port Harcourt, Morgan Otagburuagu is a self-taught photographer who has made a significant impact in the fashion and art industries with his distinctive portraiture style. The works in his debut and most recent series, In Bloom, illustrate a journey towards rebirth and re-emergence following a personal tragedy in 2021. Flowers play a vital role in this series, as they are significant markers that people associate with both celebrations and mourning, representing respect for the past and hope for the future. With flowers, Otagburuagu investigates the cyclical nature of life and death, as well as the ways in which nature reflects and embodies that process.
Courtesy of the artist.
Courtesy of the artist and Doyle Wham.
Wonder Buhle Mbambo
Wonder Buhle Mbambo, born in 1989 in kwaNgcolosi, Kwazulu-Natal, is a South African visual artist. His portraits, drawn in charcoal and acrylic against flat planes of colour, depict spiritually charged views of Black bodies in restful and contemplative poses. His signature motif is a gold flower-shaped pattern that he places on top of the skin of his characters. This recurring symbol, which is both poetic and personal, references a native flower used for ancestral practices in Mbambo’s rural South African village and serves as a reminder of the artist’s strong ties to his community.
Courtesy of BKhz Gallery.
Courtesy of BKhz Gallery.
Courtesy of BKhz Gallery.
Iyanuoluwa Adenle is a Nigerian art writer, essayist, and poet based in Lagos. She is currently the head writer at Omenai. Adenle has contributed to a number of art publications, including Tender Photo, Art News Africa, Pavillon 54, and Omenai.
