Pearl Lam Galleries presents ‘Where I Belong’, an exhibition by Nigerian contemporary artist Deborah Segun. Her series of works are drawn from focusing on the idea of change and adaptability and share her nostalgic experience of moving back to the United Kingdom, a place the artist once considered to be a home away from home, but which now feels entirely different to her due to change and time. Contrary to her earlier experience, everything is fast-paced nowadays, and time waits for no one. According to Segun, this often means one does not bask in the moment and enjoy things for what they simply are. Hounded by an irreconcilable longing for a pleasant past with the daunting reality of the present, she deliberates upon the circumstances that have necessitated the change.
Trying to reconnect to a familiar environment that she once thought of as home demands a conscious focus and meditation for Segun to understand the changes that have rendered her past memory short-lived. ‘Where I Belong’ unveils a body of work illustrative of Segun’s journey of withdrawal to a somewhat monotonous, quiet and calmer lifestyle in contrast to an emergent hustle and bustle. It documents the process of her starting all over and reprogramming herself to be more in tune with her surroundings, which led her to engage with her “inner child” and confront past traumas. Segun adopts a deconstructive approach to project fragmented female faces and figures as silhouettes in contemplation and repose. Her paintings are rendered in a minimalist delicateness that alternates pale shades of colours outlining her subjects with flatness and calm.
In ‘A Different Past’, the artist focuses on the wide age gap between her and her siblings, which meant that she often spent a lot of time alone and basically grew up as an only child. Conversely, as she grew older, her desire for community increased, resulting in her building and maintaining a close group of friends and family, integral in reshaping her perspectives and approach to life. In ‘Safe Haven’, the subject of community is also highlighted as vital to Segun reinventing herself, healing from past traumas and deciding the direction of her future. Her interactions with women with similar experiences as her could not have been more pivotal in changing certain negative notions she once held about herself, including feeling ashamed of her big body and yielding to body-shaming jibes. This thread of vulnerability from past experiences also runs through ‘Soaking It All In’, while ‘Enrichment’ and ‘Spring’ bring a sense of relief as they signify a period of renewal, spiritual rebirth and rejuvenation.
An advocate of self-awareness and well-being, Segun encourages women to strive towards fulfilment, while referencing her personal experience as a perfect model. The exhibition is on view by appointment only at Venue: 70 Square Metres, G/F, 41 Hengshan Road, Shanghai, China 200031. Contact visit@70sqm.com or or WeChat: _70squaremetres for details. ‘Where I Belong’ opened on the 3rd o January and will be on view until the 1st of March 2025.
