The artist who's simply telling 'Ourstory'

These stunning examples of art are those of Opio Yaw Asante, whose 30 years of creativity can be seen at an exhibition in north London.
'Ourstory' is an exhibition of painting, sculpture and installation at The Gallery, Willesden.The show represents three decades of work by the artist, whose birth name was Horace Donovan. His parents made the journey to the 'motherland' in the hope of improving their lives, and Opio was brought up in Jamaica by his aunt.
He chose the name 'Opio', which is Congolese and means 'liberated', and 'Yaw' which is Ghanaian Asante for 'Thursday-born'. In 1981 he came to England and studied at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, where he trained as a ceramicist, and made earthenware and terracotta sculptures.
He met other black artists who were committed to art with a political edge, such as Keith Piper and Eddy Chambers. One meeting place was the Black Arts Gallery in Finsbury Park, and it was there that Opio was commissioned to create a bust of Marcus Garvey, which remains one of his finest works, and has an intensity and individuality of expression rarely seen in public art.
He was a descendent of the Maroons in Jamaica, who maintained their independence during the colonial period, led by Queen Nanny, and there is a portrait of her in the exhibition. There is also an ancestral altar, which pays tribute to those who perished on the slave ships, and to those who fought for political justice, such as Marcus Garvey, Paul Bogle and Queen Nanny.
The Igbo culture of Nigeria is also reflected in two 'mask' paintings.The first shows three masks, which are based upon Igbo masks, which are part of a rite-of-passage initiation ceremony into the 'masquerade' society. There should be four Igbo souls, as four is the number of prosperity. Here, the second image of the fourth Igbo mask is separated from the others and has lost its purpose: it is abandoned and broken. The masquerade has fallen on the ground. A visiting Igbo woman looking at these pictures said, "You are touching my soul."
'Ourstory' exhibition continues until November 2 at The Gallery, Willesden Green Library Centre, 95 High Road, London NW10 2SF.
Tuesday to Thursday, 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Friday to Monday, 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Published: 30 October 2007Issue: 1293