In the work “Conversations with the Creator”, Olatunji captures a private moment on a beach where a man delves deep into his own spiritual world. Using a limited palette consisting of torn paper, the artist captures a moment of pure serenity. His grasp of human anatomy is perfectly portrayed through juxtaposing pieces of light and dark strips of paper, resulting in the tender tactile nature of skin seen in ‘plein air’. An added mysterious presence surrounds the figure in the form of a dove which hovers above him, although he is too caught up in his prayer to notice. The viewer may notice the unusual presence of a dove and not a seagull at the seaside. The temporal world which continues around the man, out of our vision, is evidenced by actual sea shells incorporated into the collage.
Sanusi Olatunji hails from Yoruba, Ejigbo in Lagos, Nigeria and was not dissuaded from pursuing his dream of becoming an accomplished artist. Sanusi obtained a diploma from the Yaba college of technology in Lagos and since then has worked in various studios and educated himself in the area of industrial techniques. Sanusi is currently living in Johannesburg, South Africa where he has the opportunity to follow his dreams.
