Cherry Aribisala harnesses the potential of art with a few touches to create her distinctive style exploring mental health, anxiety and emotional experiences.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2000, Cherry Aribisala is a multidisciplinary artist based in London, UK. She works from her private studio after graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2022, and the Foundation in Art & Design from Coventry University, UK, in 2019.
Aribisala’s artistic practice primarily involves painting portraits of imaginary Black subjects, which celebrate and expand the dialogue around contemporary life and culture. She explores pivotal themes such as mental well-being, escapism, vulnerability, and a navigation of emotional landscapes which seamlessly weave together with contemporary pop sensibilities, resulting in a captivating juxtaposition. Known for her expansive canvases and inventive compositions, her artwork embodies a blend of comic book-inspired aesthetics, modern figuration, and expressive brushwork reminiscent of graphic imagery. Her profound love for colour transcends the confines of reality, infusing her creations with an exhilarating vibrancy.
A Signature Style
Aribisala’s work has always had an athleticism to it, even though her style has evolved over time. She still uses vivid, eye-catching color schemes and graphic representations, complementing them with deep, ominous brushwork. These components function as a recurring theme in Cherry’s works, coexisting with an ever-present sense of the artist’s personal growth as a visual representation of her continuous coming-of-age experience. Her subjects often feature expressionless faces and easygoing gestures, such as resting, dancing, or lounging in conventional positions, leaving the viewer to interpret their mood and posture. Her raw and vibrant palette enhances the dynamic quality of her subjects and their imaginative environments, by capturing a sense of movement.
Inspiration and Themes
Cherry consistently avoids associating her subjects with specific individuals or times. Her pieces often depict people of African descent against vast landscapes, ambiguous backgrounds, or within monochromatic, vibrant hues. These varied yet expressive backdrops draw inspiration from artists such as Peter Uka, Barkley L. Hendricks, Amy Sherald, Derek Fordjour, Charles White, Henry Taylor, and Lubaina Himid. Although each portrait often focuses on a single figure, they are typically exhibited in groups reminiscent of family portraits, suggesting a sense of closeness between the figures.
Exploring Depth
Through her expressive depictions of human figures and landscapes, Aribisala exposes psychological and political undertones. She paints made-up characters that exist outside our reality, in other eras and unidentified places, using her work to delve into the complexities of human identity and experience.
Cherry Aribisala has participated in several exhibitions, including: Headshot, 2024; You Can’t Always Get What You Want, Haricot Gallery, London, UK, 2023; The Hari Art Prize Exhibition, The Hari, London, UK, 2023; Collection 4, Felt Gallery, London, UK, 2023; TETE A TETE, Pi Artworks Gallery, London, UK, 2023; About Damn Time (ADT), SABO Art Advisory and Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria, 2023; Not Just Another Store, DADA Gallery, London, UK, 2023; Face to Face, Gillian Jason Gallery, London, UK, 2022; Transformation, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK, 2022; Fragments, Omer Tiroche Gallery, London, UK, 2022; If Words Were Flowers, Ben Pimlott Building, London, UK, 2022; and JINX, Amersham Gallery, London, UK, 2022.
She was shortlisted for The Hari Art Prize Exhibition, The Hari, London, UK in 2023 and received a two-month fully funded residency and artist mentorship programme at The Vault Residency, Lagos, Nigeria in 2023.
Aribisala’s work is in private collections of Kola Aina, Oxford, UK; Niyi Adenubi, Lagos, Nigeria; Kayode Adegbola, Lagos, Nigeria; Emeka Daniel, Abuja, Nigeria; Ayodell Ejiofoh, Ontario, Canada; and Isin Guler Aran, Los Angeles, USA. In 2022 and 2023, her works were auctioned in the Autumn Auction for Hepatitis C Trust, Art On A Postcard, 50×50 Auction, The Auction Collective. Notably, she was the highest-selling artist in the 2022 50×50 auction with The Auction Collective, underscoring the market value of her work.
