To freeze an Egungun masquerade is an art form defined by continuous momentum. This series of fine art photographs by the visual artist, Precious Ozemoya, presents a thoughtful celebration of identity and culture through the lens at her solo exhibition titled: Veils of Tradition – Egungun festival at Dera Soars Art Gallery in Owerri which began October 2nd and will end October 31st 2024.
This fine art photographic series offers a deep, sensitive exploration of memory, materials, culture and the thin threshold separating the living from the dead.
High-speed, wide-aperture frames and close shots captured the masquerades in their natural ecosystem on the streets of Oyo State. The artist intentionally blurs the background in the image series so that viewers can focus on the costumes’ physical weight. By stripping away the geographical context, these fine art photographs emphasized the faceless, regal authority of the spirits. They ceased to be a “festival spectacle” and instead became monuments of ancestral memory, looking back through the camera lens at the viewer. The core form of the masquerades remained sharp, preserving the intricate embroidery and texture of the costumes.
One of the strengths of this exhibition is the simplified background and colour scheme, which draws attention to the subject’s expression and pose. The direct engagement with the camera establishes a personal connection with the viewer, creating an image that feels both approachable and dignified. The images in the exhibition series offer emotional depth and compositional balance.
The careful attention to lighting, framing, and tonal control is another key strength. The artist effectively uses contrast and colour harmony to emphasize the individuality of each masquerade while maintaining consistency across the series. The presentation of the works together encourages viewers to consider both the uniqueness of each photograph and the broader themes of representation, identity, and cultural pride.
The exhibition did not treat the Egungun as anonymous folklore, but as a living, evolving contemporary art form. Overall, this exhibition succeeds as a visually rich and emotionally engaging body of work. It offers more than a documentation of appearance; it honours heritage and invites reflection on the ways personal and cultural identities are expressed through image-making. The series stands as a confident contribution to fine art photography, demonstrating both artistic sensitivity and technical proficiency.
The camera is treated not just as a capturing device, but as a collaborative tool.
Precious went beyond showcasing the Egungun festival; she honoured the visual technology of a continuous culture, leaving the viewer with a profound sense of the space between the real and the imagined.
