Solomon Omogboye builds his figures from thick, interwoven strokes of paint, layering patches of colour to create surfaces where light, movement and the human form overlap.

Candice Berman Gallery, Johannesburg

When Light Meets Hope | Solomon Omogboye at Candice Berman Gallery

31 October – 23 December 2026

Solomon Omogboye presents When Light Meets Hope, a solo exhibition at Candice Berman Gallery in Johannesburg. His paintings are constructed from long, woven strokes of colour, applied in thick, energetic patches that build up the human figure. The overlapping marks create a shifting surface, with areas of light emerging through the layers of paint.

Omogboye breaks each composition into smaller elements, working with the placement of colour, the direction of individual strokes and the spaces between them. These decisions affect how the figure is perceived, allowing the same image to suggest contrasting emotions. The human form remains central, held within a network of painted marks that seem to move around and through it.

Light plays an important role in these compositions. It moves across the painted surfaces, illuminating sections of the figure and drawing attention to the colour and texture of the brushwork. Omogboye uses these changes in light to communicate the uncertainty, effort and small moments of happiness that accompany everyday life.

As the artist explains:

“Life is never without its challenges, but I believe there is always light to be found, even in the most uncertain moments. Through my paintings, I want to capture the beauty of being human, our struggles, our courage and the small moments of joy that remind us to keep moving forward. Hope is not the absence of difficulty, but the light we choose to see within it.”

In When Light Meets Hope, Omogboye gives this idea a physical form through his handling of paint. Each figure emerges from an accumulation of strokes, with colour and light working across the surface to give the image its energy. The paintings hold the difficulties of human experience alongside the artist’s determination to find moments worth celebrating.

Exhibition Opening | Saturday, 31 October 2026 | 11:00–16:00
Candice Berman Gallery, 223 Jan Smuts Creative Hub, 223 Jan Smuts Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg.

Exhibition closes | Wednesday, 23 December 2026

Images courtesy of Candice Berman Gallery and Solomon Omogboye.