5 of them is an acrylic Canva painting done by Slawn, a London-based Nigerian artist, who makes paintings that are childlike, with raw emotional energy. It measures 170cm x 225 cm. It was created using a mix of ink, acrylic and spray paint on canvas. The painting was presented in his major solo exhibition called “I present to you, Slawn” at Saatchi Yates Gallery in London. The style of this painting is more of a blend of abstract, pop culture, expressionism and graffiti, which reflects Slawn’s signature style.
Visually
The visual Language of this piece is more cartoon-like with bold black outlines and bright colours such as green, blue, orange, and purple, which create both rhythm and depth. Each face has an over-sized eyes with long lashes, thick red lips shape forming a sad, maybe even blank facial expression. The colours create a surface of joy, but the mouths contradict. The happy colour versus the sad expression creates a tension which is one of the characteristics of contemporary visual art. The repeated faces could suggest a loss of individuality or digital-era sameness, or the feeling of being one of many observers rather than a singular self.
