Spanning over two decades and following a loose chronological order from 1993 to the present, the exhibition presented over seventy works characterising the artist’s engagement with abstract, symbolic, and thematic themes, and more importantly, his heartbeat for Nigeria. The artworks were carefully selected to represent key periods and concerns in the artist’s oeuvre, thereby creating an opportunity to highlight not only his publicly known works but also exhibit his newly created artworks that have never been exhibited.

In this exhibition, Jerry Buhari drew from his experiences as well as the social and political issues in the society to examine how man relates to the earth and the consequences of this relationship on the environment. According to Buhari, this exhibition addresses matters of the heart, and by extension, the soul.

Encompassing four categories with different thematic focuses, this body of work was developed under the exhibition title and has expanded into series including Landscapes of the Soul, Earth Works, Mixed Media series, and Black & White series. Through this body of work, Buhari recreates a world of his own- of peace and void of chaos. Ultimately, the works aim to generate a reaction and convey an explicit message to viewers: a message of hope and consolation. It exemplifies ways of recollecting and understanding the past, present-day realities, and future potentialities.

In addition to the paintings in this exhibition was the presentation of a sound work that highlighted the diversity of approaches to addressing the environmental issues and concerns in his society. The audio captured sounds from his environment and places that the artist visits from time to time while creating his works and sometimes, in his free time.

Click here to access the catalogue for the exhibition which includes a preface by kó, Kavita Chellaram.