Kip Omolade process

Diovadiova Chrome oil paintings are psychological studies that investigate immortality, the universal masks we all wear and contemporary notions of beauty and luxury. The portraits historically connect to ancient, realistic African sculptures such as Benin ivory masks and Ife bronze heads.

Yoruba. Fragment of a Head
1100-1500
Terracotta
6 x 3 1/4 x 3 3/4 in.
Private Collection, L54.5
Photo Credit: Brooklyn Museum

Diovadiova Chrome Kitty Cash III
2014
Oil on Canvas
48 x 60 in.

The labor-intensive process involves making a mold and cast of each model’s face, reworking the cast plaster sculpture, producing a version in resin and adding a chrome layer with artificial eyelashes. The final sculpture then serves as a model for the hyper-realistic oil painting. This technique maintains the likeness qualities of portraiture while re-presenting a mask that serves as a conduit between the spiritual and natural world.