TREASURES FROM THE EAST

From the series: Fecundities of the State
Treasures From The East reveals the natural and cultural wealth of Nigeria's South-East through the portrait of a young Igbo man, symbolizing a generation entrusted with the inheritance of its land. Clad in traditional attire, he pours crude oil from a barrel, representing one of the region's major resources. Surrounding him are symbols of crude oil, natural gas, coal, gold, iron, gypsum, and clay, intertwined with Oha, Ugu, and Utazi leaves, Achi and Ogbono seeds, kola nuts, palm fruits, and cowries. Arranged as fruits and blossoms upon living stems, these elements emphasize nature as the source of abundance. References to the Igbo-Ukwu art tradition celebrate indigenous ingenuity and the transformative use of resources. The work calls on a new generation to recognize, protect, and maximize the treasures embedded within its land, culture, and people.