Ashima

‘Ashima’ examines the dichotomy of African identity. Someone who acknowledges that time-honoured traditions, history and ritual are worthy of preservation, yet progress and the challenging of norms is inevitable and indeed deeply uncomfortable. The Harmattan wind is a weighty time in many a Nigerian life – it signifies the start of the holiday season and family gatherings. It also brings with it dust from the Sahara and common ailments like asthma (Ashima), an affliction artist Muoh has suffered since childhood. Come the end of November, the dry, dusty and windy Harmattan season descends on Nigeria and the rest of West Africa, and with it, a slew of customs that are ingrained in many Nigerians’ lives. However, as climate change, urbanisation and a move away from tradition continue, many Gen Z and Millennial Nigerians no longer participate in these time-honoured rituals.

Muoh has a reputation for delving deep into the issues that many women of her generation face. She examines the phenomenon of loss of culture as it sits alongside deep-set societal conditioning and the discomfort that straddling two worlds brings. As a result, her work emits a distinct tension as she faces up to, and casts open, conversations that may be difficult to have. The advent of the Harmattan season and its associated customs have been part of many Nigerians’ lives for generations.

The cooler (and windy) season arrives in November, a time when Westernoriented knitted jerseys become social talking points since the Harmattan season is a rare opportunity to show off these fetching garments. Dry, chapped lips and skin, as well as asthma, are daily irritants, and the everpresent layer of dust in the home, is a constant annoyance. But with global warming and the shift in the dusty wind’s arrivals, along with the younger generations snubbing many traditions like church and Christmas clothes, Muoh brings to light some important conversations around shifting cultural and climatic norms. “Sometimes I feel like I am alone in these feelings and I want to start a conversation around them – for me, my art is a powerful way to find a common and relatable ground”, she says.

She delves into her subject matter with a deep appreciation for symbols, and a marriage of surreal imagery applied to the everyday modern urban scenes she is surrounded by. A trained graphic designer, she loves colour, and this shows in her bold and richly hued artworks – the kinds of pieces that command conversation, but which are also supremely approachable. Muoh is also deeply absorbed in the shifting sands of Nigerian patriarchal society and this body, like her others, continues with the use of surrealist motifs to reflect this.

Framed 124.5 x 94.5 x 5 cm

Unframed 121 x 91 x 0.1 cm

Signed by artist.