Photo – Abi Salami archive ©
Gallery 1202 presents “From Behind the Shadow of a Cactus,” an online exclusive solo show featuring a new body of work by Nigerian American artist Abi Salami. The show will take exclusively online, from May 8, 2021 through July 3, 2021.
From “Behind the Shadow of a Cactus” is a body of eight works that follows eight fictional black/African women on their path towards healing. Based in Rerinia, a fictional, parallel universe where Black women can escape to when the pressures of Earth become too much to bear, the women are encouraged by the Mother to heal, forgive, and grow. They can stay as long as necessary to feel strong enough to return to Earth. Each woman’s path to healing is different, and each of them must overcome their inner demons to reach their Higher Self. Salami’s mastery of the canvas results in emotion-evoking images, bold colours, and captivating stories that create depth and pique curiosity in her audience. In Behind the Shadow of a Cactus, Salami paints figures of Black women in realistic manners while intertwining surreal elements, blurring the lines between Earth and reality with Rerinia, a fictional world of healing. In works like “A Farewell to My Battle Scars,” and Higher Self,” the female figure in Rerinia is depicted breaking through and healing. Through her body of work, Salami offers an escape for viewers, an understanding of worldly pressures, and a calming feeling of sisterhood.
