Blank Wall Gallery presents Abraham Cole's work entitled "Suns of Egypt".

Abraham Babajide Cole is a UK-based Nigerian artist working in painting, drawing, illustration and digital design. She draws inspiration from nature, antiques and the magic of mixing multiple visual forms and engaging in conversations around immigration, politics and the human condition.

Cole is a graduate of Yaba College of Technology School Art, Lagos, Nigeria and has worked as an art director in media and cultural venues across Nigeria. In October 2022 he presented his first solo exhibition, "Deep Introspection", at ArtRooms Gallery, Birmingham in the United Kingdom. As part of the Mayor of London's 2024 Project Untold Stories, Cole was part of The Culture Tree art team that designed and created a monumental piece of public art in Peckham, London for Southwark Borough Council.

"Suns of Egypt" is Abraham Babajide Cole's first solo exhibition in Europe. The 12 designs in this series draw inspiration from the narratives of the Bible and the Koran. Egypt, not as a geographical space, but a metaphorical figure, becomes a starting point so that Cole can continue his exploration of the theme of migration. Cole's approach to portraiture is influenced by the works of Nigerian painters such as Akinola Lasekan, Ben Enwonwu, Demas Nwoko and Jimo Akolo who explored religious and mythical figures in their paintings.

"Suns of Egypt" is autobiographical. Cole started this story in ink. This is handwritten. The story still continues. The works were created over a 12-month period where each figure responded to various emotional and spiritual encounters within the artist's life.

For Cole, Egypt is a central motif that runs through all 12 paintings in this series. Egypt as true essence, a journey of introspection, a canvas of the soul, with the Sun as a guiding glow.

Exhibition curator: Ayò Akínwándé