66 - † JOHNSON OCHEJA (NIGERIAN B.1993)

† JOHNSON OCHEJA (NIGERIAN B.1993) LADY WITH THE BRANCHES signed and dated Johnson Ocheja / 2022 lower right oil on canvas 152.4 x 132.1cm unframed Property from a Private Collection, London Provenance Private sale, Phillips, London, 2022 Purchased at the above sale by the present owner Exhibited London, Phillips, HIRÆTH, 2022 Johnson Ocheja is a self-taught artist born in Kogi State, Nigeria, a culturally rich region marked by the confluence of the Benue and Niger rivers, situated between Abuja and Lagos. This dynamic area is also the heartland of the Igala ethnic community, to which Ocheja belongs. At three years old, Ocheja moved to Kaduna State. He later graduated from Kogi State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics. Having lived in two distinct regions, each with its own history, culture, and complex political, religious, and ethnic dynamics, he draws directly from these environments to explore how these societal issues impact his community. Ocheja uniquely depicts his iconic Black figures using blue pigment. Altering his sitters' skin colour allows him to challenge and expand the rigid category of "Blackness," shifting the focus toward the rich diversity of their individual identities, ethnicities, and backgrounds. His signature impasto technique creates a textured surface on the skin, referencing traditional scarification practices found in various African societies, including Nigeria. Through this approach, works like the present lot bridge global dialogues on Black identity with local Nigerian traditions, seamlessly blending deep cultural symbolism with a contemporary exploration of belonging. Johnson Ocheja currently lives and works in Kaduna State.