To Be Born, 2021

Acrylic and Oil on Canvas - 30in x 40in 

In this work I wanted to highlight the space before a spirit is about to come down to earth. In the Ifa tradition, one's spirit choose its destiny and purpose with its Egbe (spirit family) and Olodumare (God) before incarnating into the earthly realm. During one's Hand of Ifa ceremony, a rights of passage ritual, one receives one's ikin: palm nuts from a sacred palm tree (a tool used for prayer and divination). One also receives an Odu (a guiding scripture). During this ceremony, one is reminded of one's destiny. In this painting, I wanted to highlight the relationship between the spirit, the ikin its destiny and purpose, before coming into this realm from the spirit world. In this work, the cosmos and the earth serve as the setting. An environment that  serves as a portal. A portal in constant communication with the Divine. 

This painting also serves as a response to one of Honey & Smoke's Nomadic season questions: What does it mean to be a steward of the earth and member of the universe?