SOTO Gallery: The +234 Art Innovator, No Longer Afraid of the Shadows

SOTO Gallery as the art gallerist emphasized, was the mastermind behind pioneering +234 Art
Fair at EPAC, Lagos which contributed to a significant buzz in the local and international art
scenes in March of 2024.

On the sunny day of my visit, after I arrive two hours early for Ifebube art exhibition by Creath
Labs, the gate is shut! But then, after a knock or two, a security man kindly lets me in. The
exhibition on view is NO LONGER AFRAID OF THE SHADOWS.

I enter.

This contemporary one story building for SOTO Gallery is clad in white, with a tic-tac-toe facade,
and there’s ample parking space for guests. Moreso, a welcoming garden now leads to an
artistic metal door that’s also green to fit and blend in.

I push and it is WOW!

The curator for this exhibition is sure to give enough gaps between each hung artwork.
Splendid!

In line with the burst of colours and innovative medium from the artist, the art gallery itself
seems inventive with furniture pieces, causing an appealing visual travel between wall and floor.
Every piece of SOTO Gallery is an artefact. From the thoughtful indoor furnishings like two
bizarre benches carved from wood, to doors, stairs, and windows. Reminds me of Falz live
performance.

Still here, though tags with the “paintings” do not bear a detailed medium, especially since
aficionados like myself would wonder how Uchay Joel Chima (the exhibiting artist) achieves his
vastness with threadlike materials, a QR code is available for a deepdive into his artistry. Also,
remember the assistive art gallerist? She helps to communicate the synopsis of the showcase.
She is of the opinion that the solo exhibition follows Uchay’s artistic odyssey from his earliest
“threadlike” forms in 2017 to date.

Also, he upcycles coal from his city, Enugu, Nigeria, to create dark figures known as ghosts,
adding layers of copper wire, acrylic, and aluminum to the present-day works. But it isn’t all black. You can tell.

Uchay Joel Chima embraces the use of other unconventional mediums like ropes, sewing
thread, magazines, knitting yarn, and rice sacks.

Speak of inventive.

For works that protrude and resemble fiberglass from afar, the art gallerist is quick to inform me that they were actually rice sacks.

The marvel! It’s no wonder why many of his pieces had a red dot for sold!!! Good enough.
SOTO reminds me of O’DA Art Gallery but in an open-floor, homely way. I enjoy my time
exploring the gallery as the sole visitor before heading back for Ifebube art exhibition at Untitled
Lagos, Ikoyi.

SOTO Gallery is located at 10 Omo Osagie Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.