Osinachi

The artist.

Prince Jacon Osinachi Igwe is a digital artist originally from Aba, Nigeria. Part of a rapidly expanding collective of African NFT artists, stamping their mark on the global scene, Osinachi was an early pioneer. His work centers around the human experience, exploring the nuances - good and bad - of human behavior. His art exists as a tool for subverting societal norms as he challenges ideas surrounding topics such as homophobia, gender fluidity, religion, and misogyny, all of which are entwined within the politics of individualism. As a member of the LGBT community, he is acutely cognizant of the struggles many face today with regard to freedom of expression.

Initially producing abstract works, Osinachi experienced the difficulty of living as a digital artist with regard to gaining gallery representation. Through a google alert, he discovered the NFT platforms, leading to the tokenization of his work. In 2018, he became the first-ever Nigerian artist to showcase artworks at the Ethereal Summit, a conference in New York that seeks to bridge the gap between technology and art through blockchain. Then followed the 2019 NFT boom. Continuing to showcase work on various NFT platforms, Osinachi’s spectacular rise and status as a crypto art OG has been cemented.

It was during secondary school when Osinachi’s father introduced him to the internet. Frequently visiting the cyber cafes near his home, he learned how to open an email. A love of the computer was quickly established. Beginning his creative career as a writer, he felt a natural urge to tell stories. As a way to relax after typing manuscripts, Osinachi would design logos on Microsoft Word, but it was only at the end of his University experience that he focused on visual art. The NFT space has been integral to Osinachi’s artistic development, facilitating the transition from casual Microsoft experimentation, to headlining the current digital art ecosystem.

During my residency at the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio, I visited neighbouring Detroit and had the privilege of seeing Guercino's "Assumption of the Virgin" at the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum. The painting sparked a connection to the oracle figure, a common theme across cultures. This connection led me to question the place of my native/tribal masquerades in the current pop culture discourse.

So, I set out to reimagine the painting, to underscore the point that masquerades were demonized by colonial powers in Africa to the point that modern Africans became blind to the proliferation of 'Western masquerades', and their infiltration into the African subconscious through mascot and cartoon entertainment.

In “The Assumption: Adamma”, I replace Guercino’s Virgin Mary with the southeastern Nigerian masquerade called “Adamma” – who is an embodiment of femininity even though it is always a man behind the mask. The “assumption” or, if you will, “ascension” of Adamma is a reminder that she is just as culturally relevant as globally known characters like Barney, Big Bird, Teletubbies, Mickey Mouse, Kermit the Frog, and Winnie-the-Pooh – except that her pop culture potential has remained untapped. These other characters surround her in the same spots where Guercino painted the angels and little cherubs surrounding the Virgin Mary, as they lift her towards the heavens.

OSINACHI