In The Eyes (2021) Original Mixed-media Painting by Emmanuel Akolo

In The Eyes is a piercing, immediate documentation of the profound human cost of insurgency and displacement in Northwest Nigeria. The subject’s face, rendered in stark charcoal tones, is framed by rough, unforgiving wooden planks that symbolize the literal and emotional confinement of a life uprooted by conflict. Central to the work is the subject's gaze, which carries the crushing weight of loss and the relentless ache of hunger that words cannot express. This painting serves as a direct confrontation, forcing the viewer to bear witness to a raw struggle for survival that remains largely unseen by the wider world.

The work speaks to the devastating inheritance of violence, portraying a youth robbed not just of family, but of innocence and stability. By contrasting the detailed, monochromatic realism of the figure with the textured, golden-hued barriers, I aim to highlight the tension between the vibrancy of human life and the harsh structures that imprison it.

Materials used:

Acrylic, Charcoal And Oil On Canvas

Details:

• Mixed-media painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 60.96 x 91.44 x 2.54cm (unframed)
• Signed certificate of authenticity
• Style: Impressionistic
• Subject: People and portraits