Thomas 2020

Monica Ikegwu, born in 1998, painted "Thomas" with oils. I can only imagine how the composition came into being, the canvas shifting and emerging through intuition and, yes, plenty of errors. Oh, to stand in her shoes! What was it like to build up the texture, the surface? The physicality of the medium shapes how we see it. The paint must have been so thin in places, so saturated. Take that moment where the light catches on the folds behind him – it speaks of quiet confidence. Ikegwu's exchange with other artists, like Barkley Hendricks, allows for multiple interpretations and meaning. It’s a conversation across time, inspiring creativity, and the embodied expression which creates space for ambiguity.