These are breathtaking.

Please follow this dude on IG. I just saw his works here on nairaland and it’s so driving me crazy. I don’t know him from Adam just saw his post now on nairaland @mbahofficial

I'm speechless. This is so amazing. 21st century Leonardo da vinci

PMPhoenix:
Hello Nairalanders, I really do hope everyone is doing well during these trying times, felt I should show some of my art to help ease tensions a bit and bring to you a different kind of experience.
So here’s how it’s going to work, I will give a brief introduction of myself and my work, and then I would post a couple of drawings including commissioned works and progress shots too. I would then post a selected four again but this time I’d leave commentaries below detailing what inspired the drawings and other relevant information so you’d get a better understanding of each one.
I’d keep it as basic as possible so both enthusiasts and those new to art can soak it all in. Without much further ado let’s get right into it.

My name is Paul Mbah; I draw a lot so it just became what I do. I was born in Wales but I grew up across several southern states in Nigeria, I finished from UNN and began almost immediately to feature in Art competitions and exhibitions. My art is mostly abstract figurative (This phrase means the artist communicates ideas using objects and or persons) and are drawn primarily with graphite, charcoal and ink on paper. What do I want to say with my art? There’s no central message because they’re about everyday life, more than anything I just want people to be inspired by them.

Happy viewing

The first one, A Song about Daylight

Guy do you mind if I use your drawing as my pc wallpaper ?

PMPhoenix:
The Report

I had the idea for this shortly after my NYSC year.

I remember feeling like everyone I know and came across was searching for keys to open the closed doors in their lives; everyone was embattled with the task of figuring out what exactly to do next. Keys then, metaphorically, became symbolic to me, a couple of them float in the foreground.

By right side of the drawing some other objects float too, these objects represent factors that influence our searching for these keys.

The coin represents money and finances.

The beetle (more specifically its hard and protective exoskeleton) represents security; during the time the drawing was being made the bloody clashes between herdsmen and farmers were occurring frequently alongside the violent harassment of civilians by men of the police force, the special anti robbery squad division in particular.

The bible page symbolizes wisdom; the extract from the book of revelations has a verse that subliminally cautions whoever is on this search to be mindful of how they go about it.

The wrist bead represents socio-cultural recognition and, by extension, influence, fame, power.

The feather represents life and good health; as we are currently battling the ravaging effects of the pandemic, this one is in the highlights.

In the background there’s a section of brick walls, those brick walls are located and referenced from an upper class neighborhood in G.R.A Enugu, while the cemented regions in the background are located and referenced from middle to lower class neighborhood in Zik’s Avenue Enugu. This is aimed at representing the ubiquity of this search as basically everyone was/is looking for something.

Stay safe & thank you .

Please can I get your number or send me a message on 08039309096.

PMPhoenix:
A Song about Daylight

I made this one sometime during the first quarter of 2019. I got the idea for it after feeling jealous of how a friend of mine communicated freely with his parents. Now this might sound like a strange thing to be jealous of to some of you, but after experiencing the way they talked so freely (right down to even personal events and sex life) and looking at what I and a good number of other people have going on in our circles which is a far cry from that, I couldn’t help but feel bad about it.

I know no family is perfect but the effect of this one on me was strong. By extension, there’s a lot of well to do individuals who, despite having enviable financial/social statuses, don’t have genuine and honest relationships with family members or other people in general, there are guys and ladies out there right now who pay people to just spend time with them, who am I to judge though?

This drawing was inspired by that complexity. In the image there’s two subjects, the female subject is affluently adorned to represent the wealthy, the male represents the powerful as he wields an ‘ofor’ (a short staff usually held by men of leadership status in Igbo land) and is also wearing a chieftain cap. In a mannerism inspired by Michelangelo’s painting ‘The Creation’ both are reaching towards the central portion of the space which is lit up slightly, the central portion represents the simple joys of life, peace, happiness, acceptance, trust, friendship and love.

Both models in this drawing are actual family members. I wanted to photograph family members for the image to retain the spiritual potency of what initially inspired it.

The daily struggles we face as Nigerians tend to make us misplace the value of these virtues and on the long run when we do acknowledge them, they might not be so easy to get back.

You're a fine man

See, your head dey there. Pure beauty reside in your expressions

Wow...
Beautiful..
I really love them..

Your drawings are scary

Oh

You're so talented. I love this.

zedegit:


Please what does it convey or remind you of?

Peace and serenity of the early morning

Nice one! Cheers

Draw something that has to do with the current situation of the world, "the pandemic".

PMPhoenix:
Lily and the Jackdaw, earlier stage

I looked closely and saw that you boxed your paper 2by2" before drawing,
My questions is,does your work still look this Good if you didn't box it?
I started drawing when I started using writing materials,I hardly make mistakes while using pen to draw. but for more than a decade now I have just done few drawings..
Growing up my drawings use to be just looking at what am drawing while I draw until a learnt boxing or do I call it grafting from our new neighbor Artist then. My work will look so beautiful if I box than when I don't,so it was disencouraging to me,
Some years ago spent money on buying so many drawing material so I can be drawing with my spare time but I still can't. I even bought a pack of masters pastel but I have not used it till today..I feel like if can't do a very good by just looking at the persons pics or the person live then I don't have what it takes to be an artist....pardon my long Note

Your works are beautiful, am a fan

Ok

Wow. Speechless. This is pure talent plus mad hardworking and creativity. I honestly can't wait to start hearing your name and your works all over the world. Keep it up champ. I never get money, but hopefully soon God blesses me enough to purchase one of your works.

PMPhoenix:
3pm in Abakpa, Phyno bought this one in 2017

Wow I love you work so much. Abakpa nti ike
No be achiakpa be this?
You are so good at what you are doing, the sky is your starting point...

Bro!!! I mean woooow!

PMPhoenix:
Lantern Girl, an old one

I love this

Please any note on it?

Did you study fine and applied arts at UNN? Are you a full time artist now? I mean, are you doing this just as a hobby or as a source of livelihood?

toffyz:
Please o...shey na only pencil this bros take draw all those great piece...Or there are some other tools he's using?

he uses some other things like ashes, paints,charcoal etcetera

PMPhoenix:
Hale

Midlife crisis, for modern day Nigerians, begins right after they leave school. The level of uncertainty, plus increasing responsibilities can be overwhelming. There are times when taking a step forward shoots you backwards and further back from where you began and the only source of strength you have, because people start to lose faith in you, is yourself.

Hale was inspired by resilience, an inherent African trait that has guaranteed our survival throughout our harsh history.

The model of the drawing is the valedictorian (Best graduating student) of the 2017/2018 session in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. To truly capture the essence of resilience while she posed for the photo she was thinking of the most difficult obstacles she had to overcome during her schooling years. The single photograph of her is distressed, torn and burnt to symbolize difficult times.

An ancient ‘Igbo’ writing system called ‘Akagu’ is used to inscribe ‘Dimpka’ at the base of one of the photograph pieces. It means someone who is strong.

I can relate

I fancy ur talent boss...

https://www.nig24news.com/art-lovers-art-works-you-need-to-see/ ]

Nice Piece of Work Bro.
"Pure Art.."

Being a paint artist is one gift I would trade for anything in this world.

Any poor artist should check himself properly, e village people nor let am blow.

PMPhoenix:
A Song about Daylight

I made this one sometime during the first quarter of 2019. I got the idea for it after feeling jealous of how a friend of mine communicated freely with his parents. Now this might sound like a strange thing to be jealous of to some of you, but after experiencing the way they talked so freely (right down to even personal events and sex life) and looking at what I and a good number of other people have going on in our circles which is a far cry from that, I couldn’t help but feel bad about it.

I know no family is perfect but the effect of this one on me was strong. By extension, there’s a lot of well to do individuals who, despite having enviable financial/social statuses, don’t have genuine and honest relationships with family members or other people in general, there are guys and ladies out there right now who pay people to just spend time with them, who am I to judge though?

This drawing was inspired by that complexity. In the image there’s two subjects, the female subject is affluently adorned to represent the wealthy, the male represents the powerful as he wields an ‘ofor’ (a short staff usually held by men of leadership status in Igbo land) and is also wearing a chieftain cap. In a mannerism inspired by Michelangelo’s painting ‘The Creation’ both are reaching towards the central portion of the space which is lit up slightly, the central portion represents the simple joys of life, peace, happiness, acceptance, trust, friendship and love.

Both models in this drawing are actual family members. I wanted to photograph family members for the image to retain the spiritual potency of what initially inspired it.

The daily struggles we face as Nigerians tend to make us misplace the value of these virtues and on the long run when we do acknowledge them, they might not be so easy to get back.

Art is such a dilemma to digest.

PMPhoenix:
The Report

this is my favorite

This is awesome and I'm awed. You did great bro