kó presents Dissonance and Disturbance, a solo exhibition of new oil paintings by Tofo Bardi. This body of work continues Bardi’s exploration of fear, anxiety and the subconscious through a cast of spectral figures that emerge within surreal, psychologically charged landscapes. These imaginary characters represent fragmented versions of the self, caught in states of anticipation and uncertainty. They reflect what Bardi describes as the numinous self, a self shaped by the tension of expectant emotions.
In this new series, Tofo Bardi draws on American literary critic Sianne Ngai’s writing on “ugly feelings,” particularly the notion of anxiety as a dispositional state that disrupts action, clarity and control. Informed by her own experiences of fear and loss, Bardi explores the concept of a disturbed mind, imagining dreamlike realms that evoke solitude and wonder. Her figures appear distorted, bodies folding inward, merging together, or losing their boundaries, conveying a sense of disorientation, ambiguity and psychological imbalance.
Each painting begins with loose, gestural marks, an abstract foundation from which forms slowly emerge. Bardi’s intuitive process mirrors the instability she explores, allowing her figures to surface through layers of movement and chance. She often sketches fragmented clusters of lines as mental illustrations, which serve as reference points for her phantom-like characters.
The exhibition includes an immersive installation, Purgatory (2025), conceived as a metaphor for the religious notion of liminal space and a transitional state of purification. The installation features a series of ceramic works that animate the narrative language of her paintings. Together, the works reflect on internal dissonance, fluidity, and the ambiguity of the self in transformation, exploring how spirit and self become dispositioned.
About the artist
Tofo Bardi (b. 2001, Benin City, Nigeria) is a graduate of the University of Benin, specialising in painting. She has participated in residencies including Longform (Michigan), the Young Contemporaries Bootcamp by Rele Arts Foundation and the Arts in Medicine Fellowship. Her recent exhibitions include Self-Pleasure at Thomas Erben Gallery, New York (2024), Optics at kó (2023), and presentations with kó at 1-54 New York, Untitled Art Miami Beach and the Investec Cape Town Art Fair. Bardi lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.
Dissonance and Disturbance‘s opening reception will take place on Saturday the 7th of June between 6-8 PM at kó’s Lagos space. The exhibition will run until the 5th of July 2025. This exhibition is proudly sponsored by Le Connoisseur.
