dotIDEAS

artist: Oti Nabiri
title: Convocation of the Ancestors -
to orchestrate a protest on the state of affairs
medium: Acrylic on canvas
size: 207 x 113cm
2024

A SALUTE TO THE ARTIST

In the depths of the artist's soul,
Lies a world of pain that takes its toll,
Their eyes alight with agony and strife,
As they strive to express the turmoil of life.

The brush strokes on the canvas tell a tale,
Of love, loss, and heartache that never fails,
To evoke emotions that leave us moved,
Stirring something deep within us that's hardly proved.

With eyes fixed on the forms, the artist delves,
Into the recesses of their mind, where pain swells,
A world where beauty meets pain,
Where colors reveal what words can't explain.

Eyes that see the world as it truly is,
Through the lens of art that's never amiss,
They capture humanity's joys and sorrows,
In a moment that stays forever in our furrows.

Their eyes speak of passion and love,
A reflection of the beauty that's above,
The sky, the sea, the mountain peaks,
All reborn in the canvas that speaks.

And yet, behind every color and shade,
Lies a deep melancholy that never fades,
An ache that words can never describe,
But that the artist's eyes deeply imbibe.

With every creative stroke, this agony subsides,
As the artist's pain slowly and painfully hides,
A masterpiece emerges from the depths,
Where art heals and love never forgets.

An artist's eyes, a window to the soul,
Convey the deepest emotions that words can't behold,
A world of love, beauty, and pain,
Revealed in unique forms that forever remain.

Within the artist's eyes, a gory scene unfolds,
A canvas drenched in crimson, stories left untold. Through broken veins of color, anguish dances free,
As brushes drip with sorrow, a macabre tapestry.

The agony within their gaze, a hurricane of torment, Revealing the darkest depths, where horrors are ferment. Each stroke depicts a battle fought deep within their core, Where shadows cast their silhouette upon the artist's floor.

With every stroke, their pain takes shape, a twisted form, Visions gruesome and grotesque, like a gathering storm. Bleeding hues of anguish, their cries echo through time, Portraits of agony, capturing the macabre and sublime.

From the artist's eyes, a harrowing scene unfolds,
An eerie ground painted with tales yet untold.
Through twisted strokes and shades of crimson, behold,
A gory tableau spills, with horrors manifold.

Within their gaze, despair takes an eerie form,
A vision gruesome, a tempest of the storm.
A palette dipped in anguish, to darkness they conform,
Their pain weaves an unsettling tapestry, deformed.

Splatters of scarlet, anguish splashes the frame,
A macabre dance of torment, a ghastly game.
The artist's eyes bear witness to a world in flame,
Where agony and suffering forever lay their claim.

In vivid strokes, they capture scenes of dread,
Flesh torn asunder, hope hanging by a thread.
Visions of decimation, where nightmares tread,
An artist's eyes reflect the monsters, fear-fed.

The medium daubed in gore, their torment on display,
Lost souls twisting, in a symphony of dismay.
Their artistry unravels, a grisly ballet,
Revealing the depths of darkness in the artist's way.

The agony within their gaze, a chilling sight,
A brush that drips with sorrows, a visceral fight.
Through torment and torture, they give birth to fright,
In the artist's eyes, gory visions ignite.

In strokes of horror, their anguish finds release,
A vivid portrait of pain, a bittersweet peace.
Within the depths of agony, a twisted masterpiece,
The artist's eyes reflect a world that seeks to cease.

Beyond the agony, more emotions reside,
In the artist's eyes, a spectrum of feelings collide.
They capture the exuberance of pure delight,
A twinkle in their gaze, an enchanted sight.

Through vibrant media, joy finds its way,
Splashes of color that brighten any day.
Their eyes ignite with an inner flame,
Expressing happiness, like a moth to a flame.

But also within their depths, a sadness blooms,
Reflecting the sorrows that the heart consumes.
Their eyes become pools of somber reflection,
A mirror of melancholy and introspection.

In moments of solitude, their eyes reveal,
The weight of solitude that they often feel.
A yearning for connection, a longing to express,
The artist's eyes whisper tales of loneliness.

And yet, amidst the sorrow and transient despair,
Their eyes shimmer with hope and dreams laid bare.
A glimmer of resilience, of determination strong,
Guiding them through hardships, to where they belong.

And in moments of love, their eyes speak a language,
Of tender affection and devotion's adage.
A warmth that emanates from deep within,
As love and passion find their artistic kin.

In every glance, a story unfurls,
The artist's eyes, the gateway to their worlds.
They convey emotions that mere words can't contain,
A universe of feelings, like a tempestuous rain.

So let us cherish the artist's eyes so keen,
For they share a profound glimpse of what's unseen.
An intricate tapestry of pain and delight,
Expressed through art, their soul's guiding light.

- oti Nabiri
(culled from "Landscape of my Country and other Poems")

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