Amara Eke’s body of work is dynamically colorful and vividly patterned. Motifs such as black-and-white stripes and checkerboards often juxtapose glossy, shimmering, and rainbow-tinted blocks and organic forms, including bodies, cells, and plants. When we sit down to talk about her work, Amara is gearing up to participate in two other shows in nearby galleries in addition to her MFA
Thesis Show. Every time we ran into each other in the classroom, art building, openings, and other places, she was always on the go—on her electric bike, back to her studio to make work for some new show. After we had a good chat about how busy we always were, but grateful for the opportunities, Amara always checked in with those around her and made them feel cared for. Aptly, our conversation on her relationship with painting elaborates on how she finesses the paint as she is facing these deadlines.
AE: (When she creates work) “Time is always a factor. When you are really passionate and fired about something, that shows in the work too. Sometimes it is a race to the finish to tell a story, which is important to me. How can I finesse the paint enough to deliver the work with a fully cooked-idea?
IK: It is very intriguing that you use the word ‘finesse’ about paint. What is your relationship with it? Do you view it as something you need to manage, or does it also take you to places you do not expect and ask you to adapt to it?
AE: I use acrylic, which is quite different from oil, which I also have worked on in the past. But acrylic is cheap and dries fast. I work really fast and make mistakes fast, and given that time is something that I have never really had, acrylic works really well with my current style. My technique and storytelling developed accordingly as well.
IK: In that sense, time seems like an intriguing ingredient that almost gets baked into the creative process. It is not necessarily a theme, but definitely, a factor that impacts the physicality and spirit of these paintings.
AE: I use acrylic, which is quite different from oil, which I also have worked on in the past. But acrylic is cheap and dries fast. I work really fast and make mistakes fast, and given that time is something that I have never really had, acrylic works really well with my current style. My technique and storytelling developed accordingly as well.
IK: In that sense, time seems like an intriguing ingredient that almost gets baked into the creative process. It is not necessarily a theme, but definitely, a factor that impacts the physicality and spirit of these paintings.
AE: Absolutely. Sometimes ideas emerge really quickly, both in terms of narrative and the visual approaches I want to take to convey them, and painting with acrylic allows me to better capture these factors when I am creating my works.
The works in the show are all large-scale paintings that explode with the hilarity of the painter’s style and wit. The swiftness that Amara explains in the way she creates the visual components, as well as the narrative, is easily accessible. Take, for example, What Came First? (2023) and To Get to the Other Side (2023), both of which riff on jokes and riddles that meaninglessly float around, such as: “What came first, the Chicken or the Egg?” or “Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?.” I asked why she engaged with this body of jokes, that felt quite classic, origin-less, and also somehow easy to encounter in our daily lives. Amara replied:
AE: I aim to incorporate sincere silliness and write jokes revolving around English sayings, using humor as a tool to connect with people. It's important to note that I'm not really talking about myself but rather the descriptors versus who I am. Drawing, coloring, and creating objects with narratives is a central part of my creative process, and I often contemplate how to let others into my artistic world. I'm intrigued by the idea of providing an entry point for others into how my mind works and how I approach different topics.
IK: Keeping the show’s title and theme on orifices mind, can you elaborate on how you conceptualize and construct these entry points?
AE: My paintings, although two-dimensional, aim to draw the viewer in with little instances that create the illusion of depth.
IK: That makes sense. The glow, shimmer, and rainbow-clad coloring in your paintings feel like pathways or alternative realities, and sometimes I think of them as looking at them through a computer screen. They have a unified glimmer that feels screen-mediated, which feels quite everyday-life, while also having this psychedelic, otherworldly quality.
AE: Definitely. I approach my work by seeing it as portals from an interdimensional point of view. While I used to focus on patterns and material, my current priority is crafting a compelling narrative and injecting humor into it. Partially, this originated after I started to consider whether the average viewer would care about the process behind my work, and deciding that I no longer to be consumed by it.
IK: So why did the chicken cross the road? Do you have a good answer for it?
AE: To get to the other side, darn it! We are all trying to get to the other side. As an artist, I ponder why we sacrifice so much to make our art happen. Despite the challenges, I believe that we all love what we do and have worked hard to ensure a fantastic experience for both ourselves and the audience.
AE: Of course, this exhibition is not just about creating good work; it's also about delivering an exceptional show.
IK: The love and hard work are definitely visible in individual works and the show as a large.
