Gregory Samsun M.F.A. Art History says:

I have started reviewing Dauda’s works and have paid particular attention to the focus of his paintings and recent photographs-the African Man.

First I will touch on the general nature of the man that forms the center of interest for the viewer in my opinion.

This figure or in his latest works figures (red balloon series)each represent gross exaggerations of feeling states as portrayed in subtle body language juxtaposed by positioning of the body sometimes to extremes.

It is by way of each vehicle and by their combination at times running cross purpose like the point and counterpoint in a moving piece of classical music (yet harmonized)that several emotional states are captured.

If one were to look at the emotions conveyed in terms of something being constructed then in all of his works the foundation is sensual. On that is added complimentary gestures and movements captured amazingly through just simple line that both support and gently counterbalance the extream postures that seem to drive the emotions conveyed home.

I believe that this artist has broken new ground in terms of his rising contribution to the art world but particularly to an interpretation of African art in general. I think of his work in comparison to traditional African art where for instance figures are portrayed as dressed in traditional African garb and seem to conservatively say something on an emotional level. It can easily be summarized as festive in a uniquely cultural way as characters come only somewhat to life as they dance together for instance.

These characters traditionally demonstrate as in all cutlers the unity found in a community through collective activity and a dissolution of the principal of the individual as ecstasy.

Dauda’s works on the other hand implies a single naked African individual in each instance being both self-contained while simultaneously breaking the bounds of containment through forms of passion communicated as pure visual language.

A single figure explicates the notion of the dissolution of the pricipeum individualis ten fold over that of his traditional artist predecessors like no other artist of his kind in the field.

His African man sculpture photographic works demonstrate another key element to his works which is the importance of his abstract yet expressive backgrounds as they relate to the central figure(s). In this case they potential for expression seems locked behind a fence indicated by its being made the subject of one photo (demonstrating its significance as also central and not just the background in the figure with fence photo.

To me the potential surfaces only as much as the figure can talk in and of itself as Michael desperately attempts to extract the essence or emotion from an object that is static and emotion that in this case is simply locked in stone. I can’t help but feel that this effort is an inspiration tho this artist to help his well up the passion to create more painted figures.

Gregory Samsun M.F.A.

Angelo Cienega says:

Thanks for the blog

Werner says:

Many thanks for this excellent series. I’m hoping you go onto publishing your your work.