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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Tobechi Tobechukwu @ Black Dog Coffee
Tuesday 23 December @ 19:39:04 |
 by Valerie Valentine
Artwork that startles can also be full of grace. Tobechi Tobechukwu’s most curious photograph inspires the baffling question, “How did they do that?”
In “Billboard,” several muscular male figures are draped nude over the back of a billboard.
Other lovelies stand nearby, naked in full daylight, with what appears to be a European skyline behind. The photo seems a pure, joyful celebration of the human figure, as is “Emily and Parachute.” In this, a woman rises out of water, under a parachute that looks like flower petals—the woman becomes the stem. Ink jet printing on watercolor paper gives the image a shimmery delicacy. “Butterfly” is a three body collage that you have to see to fathom; it reconstructs female form, and fits bodies together in an entirely new way (who knew it was still possible!)
There are moments of spontaneity in Tobechukwu’s art. The joy of children in The Gambia during a sudden storm brought about the “Rain Children” compositions, where impulsive kids pose for the photographer.
“Rope” by Tobechi Tobechukwu
In his “Box” series, Tobechukwu honors diversity of bodies through shape, gender, sexual orientation and race. Each photograph contains a see-through box with people inside. Boxes with more than one person become a separate, insular world. The angles of the glass box create dimensions of space and color. Pale grays and dark shadows soften the stark nudity of the models.
These people are regular folks, not celebrities; in fact, the concept hinges on the ‘invisibility’ of the subjects. By picturing a family headed by a single mom, gay lovers and ethnic minorities, Tobechkwu uses his camera to promote social change. The box can be a metaphor for being “boxed in” by society; people are discriminated against based on identity. The box, like oppression, becomes a form of imprisonment. We are all bound inside our bodies, our genders and our lifestyles. The artist makes this series personal by including a photo of himself as part of a multi-racial family.
In “Birdcage 1&2,” a gorgeous female model thrashes around a human-sized birdcage. Again, the photo captures an artistic moment, staged but glorious. Like those in the “Box” series, this beautiful woman is trapped; her crime is her beauty. Her naked loveliness makes her vulnerable, but it also serves as a weapon for which she has been locked away. Strangely, she does not appear too distressed at being caged; she may even be dancing.
More bondage occurs in Tobechukwu self-portraits, “Ropes” and “Chains.” These photographs are like pauses in the artistic process; the artist’s position and features reveal true strain. The shots give a literal visualization of the dilemmas an artist may face in the struggle to create a perfect rendition of his artistic vision.
Through Dec. 31. Black Dog Coffee & Wine Bar, 308 Prince St., St. Paul. 651-228-9274.
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