Icon | Twins Seven Seven
Twins Seven-Seven (1944-2011) was born Taiwo Olaniyi Oyewale-Toyeje Oyelale Osuntoki in Ijara, Nigeria, and he is remembered as a prolific artist, bandleader, dancer, actor, and proud spokesperson for Yoruba culture and traditions. Renaming himself "Ibeji Meje-Meje (Twins Seven-Seven)" intentionally reflected his Yoruba cultural identity and heritage.
In his lifetime, Seven-Seven widely retold his coming into this world seven times as an abiku child, each time as one of a set of twins, only to die and return to the spirits who sent him. On his final return, his seventh, he remained and held the unwavering belief that the reason this happened was to achieve a predestined path of becoming an artist of international acclaim (footnote). This narrative of spiritual and mythological triumph against all odds and a profound sense of pride in Yoruba identity and beliefs infused every aspect of Seven-Seven's oeuvre.
His introduction to the visual arts happened by chance due to gate-crashing and performing at a party in Osogbo organized by Ulli Beier and Georgina Beier in 1964. This encounter led to an invitation to attend a Mbari Mbayo workshop conducted by the Beiers. Working across varied mediums, including painting, drawing, batiks and sculpture over four decades, from the 1970s until he died in 2011, Seven-Seven developed both a unique and expressive individual style drawing on motifs and styles rooted in traditional Yoruba art and culture, as well as religion, folklore and the artist's dreams. The Beiers' support and mentorship played a crucial role in shaping Seven-Seven's artistic journey and promoting his work on the international stage.
Seven-Seven's life and work boldly celebrated Yoruba culture, instilling a deep connection and pride in those who shared his heritage. His art is a powerful testament to the richness and beauty of Yoruba culture, fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation in the audience.
Text by Dr Jareh Das, an independent curator, scholar and (occasional) florist who works between West Africa and the UK.
Twins Seven Seven’s subject matter was Yoruba myths, many of which he reenacted from childhood memories of recitations to him by his mother and grandmother, others he absorbed in adulthood through the novels of Amos Tutuola and Daniel O. Fagunwa.
The Architect (1989) by Twins Seven Seven (far left) presented in the section, Nucleo Storico: Portraits, at the Central Pavilion, Giardini of the Venice Art Biennale, curated by Adriano Pedrosa. Image / Giuseppe Anello / Alamy Stock Photo
In a consciously naïve yet highly detailed and expressive style, he depicted village scenes, animals, and deities.He filled in outlines and borders with jewel-coloured patterns based on traditional textiles.
Twins Seven Seven photographed at his studios in Osogbo (1970) ©Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
Twins Seven Seven passing announced in the New York Times in July 2011
Highly detailed forms crammed into the frame are a signatory style of Seven-Seven's works on paper and paintings, alluding to a feeling of aliveness ready to break free from the frame or surface.
Twins Seven Seven, Midnight Drawings - Elephant + the Paw Paw, 1987
Twins works can be found in a host of important institutional collections in the world including the Smithsonian NMAFA, Studio Museum Harlem and the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Twins Seven Seven photographed in front of his studios in Osogbo circa March 1970 ©Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
Twins Seven Seven, Village Scene, in the collection of the Studio Museum Harlem, who exhibited his work as early as 1970 in an exhibition titled Mbari Mbayo
In keeping with his personality, when depicting otherworldly beings like ghosts and gods, Seven-Sevens did not depict them as frightening but rather cheerful, whimsical, and optimistic.
Multiple | Prince Twins Seven Seven exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL. Aug 2022 - Jan 2023 @ MFA St Petersburg
