Aluu Prosper is a 24 year old Nigerian Painter and figurative artist, producing strikingly bold works which not only challenge the neutral colour palette, but also the figurative perspective with verve and energy. To hear more about the man behind the canvas I had to ask a few more questions…
Can you describe your studio to our Smoor readers?
My studio is quite a mix of different states. Most times organised and sometimes in a mess. Because of the style of art I do which is a fusion of collage, abstract and figurative art, when it’s time to cut newspapers and glue it to the canvas, everywhere becomes disoriented as well as during the abstract coloration. But it’s a beautiful place.
What does art mean to you, and how do you know when it’s good?
I always tell people, art is self-expression. There is no bad art. If someone chooses to express himself or herself in whatever way they can, then it’s art. It is a personal choice. What you see as a bad art, someone could see as a masterpiece.
How would you describe the art that you make for someone who’s not familiar with your work?
I call it Abfillage. I indirectly relay messages on newspapers to my viewers without making it so obvious, while painting my story and expressing myself in figurative form. It’s a fusion of abstract, figurative and collage hence the name Abfillage.
Do you have a dream place you’d like to exhibit and why?
There are a lot of places, definitely. Like the Guggenheim, The Tate, The National portrait gallery, and maybe the Louvre in Paris and so on. In terms of why I think it’s already obvious why I want to show there.
Influences, inspiration? Talk to me….
Erm, I would pick Picasso first of all, not because of his style of art but because of his relentless personality. I learnt a lot from his lifestyle (not the bad side???). But his zeal and willingness to succeed, and in terms of how I paint, it’s influenced by Njideka Akunyili Crosby and Kadir Nelson and myself too.
How much sketching do you do beforehand? is it necessary?
In the kind of art I do, I sketch on the canvas directly because I work from reference images I took myself or from my past, so I don’t do preliminary sketches in rough books or sketchpads, but it’s essential I sketch before I paint the figurative part of my work because I wouldn’t want paints going into places they are not supposed to go into at all.
You use newspaper as a base for your work. Is there a reason for this?
Yes there is. Just like Mahatma Gandhi said, In order to preserve culture, you must continue to create it. The social, economic and political stories in newspapers are part of our culture, our way of life, and society plays a huge role in our individual lives. I preserve these stories not by stacking the papers but by using them to create art. It’s like turning what could have been a waste into gold.
I know when I’m writing I sometimes use music to help concentrate -let’s just say a particular Max Richter song has got me through a lot-. Do you listen to music while painting?
I can literally do little without music. Everything could feel boring. Music initiates and invites a certain energy into the room and the work. I only turn it off when I’m done. You know I write too. I don’t use music when I write my poems, because I need full concentration. Words collide in my head if I use music to write.
Why is challenging the perspective of the human form such a big feature in your work?
Well, I would also ask you, why would I want to paint what already ‘is’ when I have the power to create my own universe on my canvas? God chose to make us the way he wanted to because he has the power to. I challenge the normal narrative but mostly the head because it’s the seat of wisdom.
There’s a parrot in the mural ‘Garden of Eden’ that you’ve painted showing a woman braiding another woman’s hair, in another piece a dove sits on top the oversized head of a young boy entitled ‘What do you believe in’ can you talk more about the use of birds, and your signature crown motif?
Well, as for the birds, it was contextual. Picasso was the first to use a dove to signify peace. The crowns dignify my subjects, it simply means they are special.
How does your Nigerian heritage influence your work, how important is it to acknowledge that part of yourself?
To be sincere with you, I’m not really proud at this moment to be a Nigerian because of the state of the nation. But there is nothing I can do about it because that’s who I am and I have to express myself and tell my stories in my works. The newspapers speak for themselves. As an artist living in Nigeria, there are more than enough things to talk about or express.
Did you know many black painters when you were growing up?
I was just a comic artist at a young age. I didn’t know about most famous black painters. I knew I got the talent from my dad. When I grew older, I started to know them one by one and get inspired by what they’ve done.
You’re becoming quite an established artist, making beautiful, memorable work. What would you say to other artists burrowing away in their bedrooms making art and wanting a piece of the creative pie?
Well, I am like every other artist out there too. But I would say to them, art is self-expression, make something unique, find a niche. You don’t need to go too far to find it, it’s within you. The beginning isn’t easy but with time you’ll be happy you never stopped.
