Iretomide: Introspective Catharsis

February 2025

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Iretomide moved to Atlanta at the age of 13 and has since been honing his artistic voice. His body of work, which personifies internal struggles through faceless figures on canvas, draws viewers into a realm of profound reflection conveyed through symbolic storytelling.

Iretomide art delves into themes of overcoming personal challenges, translating emotional and spiritual introspection into visual form. "Art to me is catharsis. A way to express feelings I'm not as comfortable putting into words," he shares. His creative process begins with inner dialogues and evolves into a meticulous arrangement of visual elements inspired by free association. Through the interplay of color, contrast, composition, and symbolic objects, Iretomide crafts layered narratives that articulate complex emotions beyond the reach of language. At the heart of each piece is a faceless figure engaged in an unspoken struggle. These characters, with their expressive gestures, postures, and attire, act as conduits for connection, enabling Iretomide to communicate universal experiences while maintaining a deeply personal perspective. Each painting becomes an unspoken dialogue, bridging his introspection with the viewer's own emotional journey.

One of Iretomide's most compelling works, A Sinner's Prayer, exemplifies his signature style and thematic depth. The painting portrays a faceless figure cloaked in a vibrant red cloak, clutching a rosary close to their face in a moment of prayerful surrender. The dramatic contrast between the dark background and the bold red garment heightens the emotional tension, while the figure’s posture and the rosary’s presence evoke vulnerability and a plea for redemption—what Iretomide describes as “the helplessness faced when dealing with problems” without spiritual aid. The piece reflects his belief that prayer is essential for confronting guilt and temptation.

Accompanying this powerful visual is Iretomide’s poem:

And though I'm fearful of the Light,
I need it now more than ever.
My desperation vastly outweighs my shame,
for the path I've walked has been far from righteous.

I am weak beyond expression,
and long for Your strength.

I pray that You spare me the judgment I deserve
and grant me a clean slate to compose my new story.
For I am but only a SINNER
seeking redemption for my shortcomings.

This piece, featured at the Black Creatives Exposé in 2024, encapsulates Iretomide’s ability to transform inner reflections into universally resonant works with emotional depth. Iretomide continues to bring his distinctive perspective on struggle, faith, and redemption to the Atlanta art community, enriching its vibrant creative landscape with his thought-provoking narratives and evocative style.

Conversations and Dialogue in Art: Karen Campbell

February 2025

From the moment she sketched a tennis shoe in seventh grade and her teacher told her she was a good sketcher, Karen Campbell ventured into the art space and dreamed of becoming a full-time artist. However, her journey led her into art education, where she found fulfillment in teaching high school students for Gwinnett County Public Schools. For years, she balanced guiding students with creating her own work on the side, and in recent years, she has dedicated more and more time to her personal craft, now displaying her work in multiple shows around Georgia each year.

Campbell describes her art as a conversation: a conversation between artistic elements, symbols, and subject matters within her art. These elements create layers of meaning, inviting viewers to explore her pieces beyond the surface and spend time exploring conversations created between the elements of her art.

“I want people to identify with and feel like they’re a part of it ”

Music serves as a primary inspiration for her. "I’d say 75 to 80 percent of my work is inspired by music," she shares. A lyric often sparks the beginning of a piece, acting as a catalyst for conversations within her art. A single phrase can guide her creative process, leading her to explore recurring themes in media, conversations in daily life, or her memories. Her work becomes a dialogue, visually representing the same themes that music, songs touch upon. Her creations are somewhat autobiographical, reflecting her thoughts, memories, and personal experiences and abstracting them through symbolic elements in the mixed-media canvases the viewer can discover and personally connect with.

“It’s an orchestrated conversation. Composition is important in order for the conversation to take place.”

In the process of starting from a white canvas, Campbell shared that she writes down her feelings and ideas, at a very personal level before layering paint over them, letting those buried words shape the final piece: almost as if she under-paints with text. She then seeks out songs and imagery, often working in a cut-and-paste method that allows for flexibility in composition, arranging and rearranging elements until they feel just right, drawing from the way she guides her own students to pay attention to composition and balance.

"I want people to engage with my work, to get lost in it, and to become part of the conversation."

The titles of her works are important cues to jump into her art and discover all of the details. "I want people to look and find things—to notice something new each time they return to a piece," she explains. She recalled her very first solo show, where her professor reaffirmed this noting that her work was strongest when displayed together, and creating visual conversations with each other. Seeing her pieces side by side allows viewers to recognize patterns, recurring imagery, and the evolving visual language of symbols, marks, and textures she has developed over time.  

Her upcoming solo show, "The Art of the Mixtape" will be on display from June 10 to July 31 at the Winterville Cultural Center, just outside Athens. "The Art of the Mixtape" could be interpreted as a creative exploration of how art, much like a mixtape, is a curated collection of diverse elements, experiences, and expressions. Just as a mixtape carefully arranges songs to create a mood or tell a story, "The Art of the Mixtape" could symbolize the intentional selection and arrangement of visuals (drawings, colors, textures) that reflect the emotional resonance, rhythm, and narrative found in music. Featuring 10 to 14 works, the exhibition invites viewers to immerse themselves in these visual conversations.

The Movement Lab at Atlanta Art Week

T. Lang Dance creates poetic movement landscapes, illustrating deep and rousing investigations into interdisciplinary creative practices, historical narratives and identity.

Atlanta Art Week: September 30 - October 6, 2024

Atlanta Art Week celebrates the vibrant art scene in Atlanta every year and has grown since its inception three years ago. The festival of sorts utilizes many venues across the city to showcase the unique artistry and talent, often putting on big events or activations to help Atlantians experience what the art scene has to offer.

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As part of our mission at Design Bloc we endeavor to raise the profile and celebrate the art and design scene in Atlanta and attended SITE at the GOAT Farm to observe the Movement Lab’s dance performance.

The performance centered around the story of Mary Turner’s tragic death triggered by a murder in a small town in Georgia. The performance featured vibrant imagery and intentional movement showcasing the deep connection between her and her late husband and their unborn child. The couple's story plays out through a series of acts, each increasing in intensity and desperation, culminating in a thoughtful, yet visceral depiction of grief and loss.

T. Lang dance did a wonderful job, and we will explore more partnership opportunities with them in the future. T. Lang is a wonderful group and gives moving performances and more information about this specific performance can be found here.

Stay tuned as we bring more news and events from around the Atlanta design and art scene.