“Congregation,” 2023, with three figures who seem to be gossiping or complaining, has a camp humor that sometimes pops up in Ojih Odutola’s work. Credit… Toyin Ojih Odutola, via Jack Shainman Gallery, New York; Photo by Dan Bradica Studio. [New York Times caption and illustration]
I like how Toyin Ojih Odutola assembles faces from facets, a treatment I strive increasingly, if feebly, to approximate. I describe it to myself in personal shorthand as “envisaging”: implementing visage as a sort of ‘scape rather than anatomical likeness mask. This deep fissure radiating from beside the “nose” is a crevice near the shadow of a promontory, etc. One talks to self, trying to deprogram the brainwashed eye not to “see” what it expects. It exacts a keen and studied form of looking coupled with patient and nuanced handling of media.
Ojih Odutola makes very large drawings — some more than 6 feet high — with charcoal, pastel, graphite and colored pencil. I’d like to know what paper or other surface she uses. The journalist, Siddhartha Mitter, remarks that “her drawings often look like paintings from afar.”
(Siddhartha Mitter, “Toyin Ojih Odutola Is Drawing Up Worlds,” New York Times, 5-22-25)
(c) 2025 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved
EthicalDative 
I really like the concept of ‘envisaging’ faces as ‘scapes’ – an excellent way to overcome the difficulties and restrictions of trying to capture fleeting elements of a person’s face. I think your portraits are very successful Jim – and now I have an idea of why!
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Too kind and always appreciated, Sue!
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Those faces do have a lot of dimension. And larger than life! That changes the way of perceiving a face too. (K)
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Your mention of the larger-than-life aspect is astute. I’m reflecting on the interesting phenomenon of artists who work on an enormous scale. Where can a 6-foot drawing go except in a public place or museum?!
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I hadn’t thought of that aspect, but yes.
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