The review of this art work is one of those things I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. It was just like a thirst I needed to quench…Abdul Jamal said “dreams are not what you see in your sleep. Dreams are things you see which do not let you sleep”. C’est vrai! While I worked on this review through the night till the early hours of the morning, my eyelids didn’t flutter, not even a second blink….
Our world is full of arts and inspirations, and each one of us is a work of art. We are creative creatures in various ways. Pablo Picasso said that every child is a born artist; the problem is to retain that artist within themselves.
This painting titled the sojourn is an acrylic on canvas, by Segun Fagorusi done in 2015. He is a Lagosian visual artist and a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state. …the most interesting thing about this piece is that I already finished the review…just to check the artist’s profile, I found out the painting is for a poem with the same title. So I’ve decided not to include the poem and not to alter or edit my review. We all know that art reviews can’t fully bring out the artist’s original meanings of the artworks… so I just love to hear from you my loyal readers…since a picture can tell a thousand words!
In this painting I see two boys walking down a narrow path (they are sad): one seemed a bit older than the other. There are four other people in the background; two of them following the two boys seemed far behind them. The other two are passersby whom the boys might have met when they started off. The younger boy is carrying two mats on his head; the bigger brown mat rolled around the smaller blue one and he is a step ahead the older boy who is holding a small bundle of cloth almost under his armpit. It is the early hours of the morning because the atmosphere appears dewy. The landscape appears to be outdoors because of the path and faint tree behind the boys. The colors are very vivid, especially the blue and orange, while the shapes are organic showing the sprouting grasses. The lines are much defined. The texture of this painting is smooth and sharp. This painting’s space is positive with human bodies, their outlines and features. As the viewer, we appear to be neither too close nor too far from the scene, thereby creating a realistic effect.
Looking at this piece, my eyes occasionally move to the distance at the fading images far behind the two boys but then still keep coming back to the boys. They look too sad for their age. The blues of the fading humans, of the longer mat, the narrow path and the boys’ shirts, and of the sprouting grasses is vivid. The orange of the ground is intense too bringing out a clear difference in the other images, as in the younger boy’s reddish brown shorts, his brown sandals and the older boy’s small white bundle of cloth and his red slippers. These colors exude strength. But maybe if the blues (color) isn’t so intense and the boys aren’t so morose, we would have focused more on the surrounding visuals.
I feel somewhat down and anxious; with mixed emotions when looking at this piece. It makes me think of the moving from the known to the unknown. The colors are bright and beautiful. Normally embarking on a trip or journey makes me happy and full of life…only when it isn’t a journey into a strange land so I can relate with the boys looking sad, or better still disturbed. The boys are painted realistically; their emotions are truthfully represented by the painting. The hues are cool, yes, the orange, blues, reddish brown, red, brown add to the colorfulness of the environment even though the ground seems somewhat dry like its harmattan season. Actually I would’ve loved to have more details about the happenings which are not available in this painting…where the boys are leaving to, why they are leaving, and the purpose of their journey. The artist’s main aim is to paint the two young boys on the journey, but to make them less boring and lone he added the people in the background; though they seemed far behind them.
I think Fagorusi’s artworks represent the harsh, everyday reality of the masses; the ordinary people depicting their contemporary life and the struggles and hustle they have to go through, since they have no choice than accepting what life has to offer them. To me, this is a great concept in painting and in being the voice of the ordinary in the society.
In general, this is a beautiful and distinct piece of art…sorrowful too. I love the intensity of the bright colors and would have it hanging in my room if someone gave me as a birthday present (but for the sorrow on the boys’faces). And, of course I see the elements of “realism” that Fagorusi’s artworks are known for, which its represents fairly well.
the roses petal 
23 responses to “The Sojourn”
Looks like they refuse to cross the little stream but instead they walk into it, I believe the stream is cold and comforting and makes them forget quickly for a little while their worries… It’s a nice work of art and a really good analysis… Speaking of analysis your passion wouldn’t let you sleep thou it hunts you more than the demons in your dreams. I know that feeling. Lol.
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Wow!
You sure have a good eye for paintings….
Never thought it was a stream…that’s what they say about a picture or painting telling a thousand words…I love this👍
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The sojourn has been vivid in mind of @timidakolo when he sang “Wish Me Well” and @darey in “Pray for Me”.
Man has constantly been in the sojourn for greener pastures. It might not augur well with themselves or their relatives, but we are constantly on a journey to discovery.
Recently, @adekunleGOLD narrated another sojourn of the voice of “Ire” Calling us all back home.
Likewise this painting is a constant reminder of how we test different waters and on perpetual longing for a better, greater and sweeter life.
A nice piece of art and the profound review. Meanwhile, I’ve dropped the link for Segun Fagorusi too *winks. I hope he drops by…😊
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Thank you very much..I love your detailed insight too
But remember I said it s for a poem with the same title….m saving the poem for latter…I just want us to interprete this in our own various ways.
👏👏
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Nice work
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Nice one Rosemary
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*After Vigil*
Niece piece of artwork. Great job Miss Author. Pls take note of some spellings and avoid unnecessary tautology.
A thousand stories!
Back to your first quote on dreams and sleeps, I eliminated sojourning maybe it’s really nothing beyond “sleep”.
What would you carry if you were on a trip? Bags or Mats?
Unless you’re on journey to sleeping competition. (Just kidding)
Personally, I feel the 2kids are returning from a vigil in the early hours of a chill Saturday Morning.
Far behind, their mother and sister are approaching. I can see a building, most likely a church. Every other person is minding their business, most likely church members. Also, I feel the 2kids are not gloomy but focused on the road.
Perhaps simplicity is just the key.
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Thank you sir🙏
I love your interpretation…
Will take note of the errors.
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Thank you sir🙏
I love your interpretation…
Will take note of the errors.
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Great piece…. a well tailored review, I’ve absolutely done so much justice in bring out the opinion of the artist pictured in a painting!!! welldone Resomary
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Thank you Katara
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To me, it’s like the boys weren’t happy with the direction they’re headed and worse still, their immediate environment seemed careless. The look on their faces is like that of a person that’s alone and abandoned.
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Your interpretation is on point… It’s for a poem with the same title….
Thank you sir
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This piece got me so emotional
It’s indeed a wonderful piece depicting the everyday struggle
Keep up the good work
Nice piece 👍
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to me the art looks like two homeless chldren with their only belongings going to wherever destiny permits them. nice review babes. keep it up.
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I never knew u had this in you. Nice one dear, am really impressed👏
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Talk of passion….dear
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Both keep on moving believing dy we reach a place with greener pastures where life will be better for them……life struggles
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Life struggles indeed…would have been better if there’s an elderly person to guide them tho
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A really nice work you have started, I love this girl😍. Kudos👍
I see inequality. The younger kid appears to be carrying an heavier load than the older.
He also seems to be catering for the need of them both(two mats) whereas the older seems to have just a piece of cloth, probably for his covering only.
I believe the over-load (particularly the load that should belong to and be carried by the older kid – brown mat) on the younger kid will not only drag him down in his journey(backward tilt of the brown mat touches the ground) but also not afford him a better sight of the path ahead and the surrounding (frontal tilt of the load). Little wonder the younger boy’s attention is focused on the ground.
The older kid probably is an enforcer hence his sad look. Enforcers don’t have a happy look, do they?
I see three people in the background(not four) and I can’t place the connection among them yet except that they all appear to be elderly(bald head & bent back); the three appear to be going in different directions. Two out of the three seem to have a bathrobe on, the third appears to be in a robe as of a Muslim clergy.
They appear not to be concerned about the condition of the kids, they’d rather mind their own businesses and face the individual journies.
Can the clergy looking man be interpreted as their guardian angel?
In all, this journey is definitely in a strange land, what tree has no leaves on it ehn🤒?
Let me rest here, I won’t want to write a lengthy comment, will I?😁😉
Go dearie! Go Mary!! Go!!!
😍💕
Ama keep cheering u on here👏💃🏼👯♀👯♀
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Your interpretation is 👌🏻 Anyone can interprete a work of art the way he or she sees it…
😘😊Thank you fisayomi
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With loads , mats and to those with nothing, having been turned into nothingness as a result of man’s injustice to their fellow man, I see a keen zeal in the painting, one who wears a serious look with a million hope that he escapes his present predicament ; ranging from poverty, famine, and war. Nice review in its whole. Well done !
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Rose, seeing these your work, though will hopefully one day study them(not glancing), makes me believe the only one that can stop this great works is you! In which I believe God will upholds you.
Let the work continues and keep inspiring your peers and upcoming ones.
God bless you
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