1986 Jack

Yusufu often refers to his fascination for retro styling, fashion and thought, and this circular canvas is certainly testament to this.
Our subject, an effortlessly ‘cool’ and devastatingly handsome man who takes on an iconic appeal under Yusufu’s gaze.
This play on light is two-fold – a reference to religious iconography so prevalent in Nigerian culture in the 20th century and a nod to the mahogany masks, statues and imagery that were once a ubiquitous representation of African people; Yusufu seeks to dismantle outdated and ignorant clichés one portrait at a time.