Galactic Panther Art Gallery is excited to announce an opening reception for “PORTRAIT of NIGERIA: Paintings by Kelani Fatai & Samuel Ukpahi (Foreversammy)”. This celebration will be held Saturday, July 12th from 8:00-11 pm, will be locally catered, and feature live music.

Prior to the opening reception, there will be a closing reception for two exhibits: “MEET DEVO: Photos of & Artwork by DEVO” as well as “SING INTO MY MOUTH: An Exhibit by Ravi Zupa” Sunday, July 6th from 3:00-7 pm. See more about the DEVO exhibit & view / shop for artwork HERE. See more about the Ravi Zupa exhibit & view / shop for artwork HERE, or visit www.galacticpanther.com. Live music will be performed by Luis Fernandez de Cordoba.

These art exhibit celebrations are free and open to the public. Donations are gratefully accepted, and all artwork will be for sale (while it lasts!) at 1303 King St. Alexandria.

PORTRAIT of NIGERIA features paintings by Kelani Fatai & Samuel Ukpahi (Foreversammy). Kelani Fatai is a Nigerian artist that was born in Mushin, a commercial area in Lagos. At the age of six, he discovered his passion for drawing. “My dad took me to where I was learning arts under roadside artists,” Fatai says. He went on to display his own work on the streets of Lagos in 2014. Soon, Fatai was offered admission to the prestigious Yaba college of Technology, where he studied Fine Arts.

Fatai considered himself one of the “luckiest” artists in Africa after Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, commissioned him to paint the cover of her book entitled “Matriarchy”. “I thought it was a joke, like I (didn’t) really believe it. I (didn’t) think I was fit for that standard,” he told the USA TODAY Network. “But she made what I thought was a joke reality, and she really guided me.” Knowles’ book was featured on Oprah’s book club and Fatai’s reputation continued to expand from there. Fatai’s artwork has now been exhibited in museums within Nigeria and around the word. With an emphasis on portraits, most of his art reflects the beauty and depth of Blackness. “Some of my paintings have (a) Victorian style of dressing just to promote the richness and uniqueness of Black beauty,” he said.

Galactic Panther is also proud to present Samuel Ukpahi (a.k.a. Foreversammy, b. June 23, 1995) in his first U.S. exhibit. Ukpahi is a self-taught Nigerian visual artist who paints predominantly with oils.

Born in Northern Nigeria (Zaria Kaduna State), his childhood was tumultuous and affected by several religious crises happening in northern Nigeria, some of which are still ongoing. This kept his family on the move. Ukpahi studied Chemistry at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, but now lives and works as a full time studio artist in Abuja, the country’s capital.

Samuel Ukpahi says his journey as an artist has been a “rollercoaster”. Despite facing resistance from his dad who never wanted him to be an artist, he discovered his gift at a very young age. Initially art was a medium he used to manage depression and anxiety but it has metamorphosed into a career and a medium to “speak up, and also to bring calm to the world”.

Samuel describes himself as “a soul deeply entwined with the threads of creativity, self discovery, transformation, and energy exchange with the universe”. Each piece he creates is a fragment of his journey through self-discovery, echoing his love for “art that connects, heals, and reveals”. His life is a testament to the belief that “art is not just what we see but it is who we are. Every interaction is an opportunity to learn, grow and inspire!” Ukpahi goes on to state, “This body of work is our collective reality. When you stare at (these) paintings, I implore you to look within you too…” Don’t miss this exhibit on view into early September.

Galactic Panther hosts several events every week.