Oswald Matro
For Oswald Matro, the act of painting is a dream log of sorts through which the artist
deciphers his own reflections on contemporary West African societies. A tale weaved by the threads of history, traditions and the identity Inherent to his native Benin.
Referencing traditional iconographic painting, Matro's compositions balance colour and perspective with great fluidity, by a way of a technique that shatters most expectations regarding this particular medium and elevate the act of creation to a holistic paradigm.
Thus each canvas becomes stage to a whirling display of visual effects, heightened by a brilliant use of both synthetic and organic components. Acrylic, oil pastel, spray paint, siphoned sand and plaster, are layered in, using a brush, a palette knife or simply fingers, before being scraped off, as if to emphasise the hidden meaning of the work and reinforce its presence within a three-dimensional space.
Deceptively naive yet whimsical, the paintings by Oswald Matro often cross pollinate both Christian and Animist spiritual ideologies. By way of a uniquely idiosyncratic visual narrative, the artist brings into play varying viewpoints scoping human interrelationships and familial conflicts within both social and geopolitical contexts.
Ultimately, for Oswald Matro, Art is a means to rise above the existential conundrums of our lives by opening new portals of dialogues between the past and the future, between the realms of the seen and that of the unseen, toiling incessantly at the intersection of dream and reality.
The Road To Enlightenment | Le Chemin de l'Élévation
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Holy War | Guerre Sainte
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Tribulations | Les Aléas
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GALLERY ILÉ X PAN AMSTERDAM | FEATURE INTERVIEW | HET PAROOL | OCTOBER 2026
I am incredibly honoured and overjoyed to share this insightful interview, published today Friday 23 October 2026, in the leading Dutch newspape...
GALLERY ILÉ X PAN AMSTERDAM | FEATURE INTERVIEW | TABLEAU MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026
I am thrilled to share this wonderful article, published in the upcoming edition of the foremost Tableau Fine Art Magazine.
The double spread ...
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Between 1 and 8 november 2026, Gallery ILÉ will take part in PAN Amsterdam, the Netherlands’ premiere fair for art, antiques, and design.To mark ou...
GALLERY ILÉ | PAN PODIUM TALKS ECHOES FROM HOME | PANEL DISCUSSION
The countdown has officially started until the launch of the 39th edition of PAN Amsterdam, the Netherlands’ premiere fair for art, antiques, and ...
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As we’re entering week 1 of THE WISE ELDERS | BY THE RIVER | Or The Art Of Journaling Emotions, we cannot help but catch ourselves feeling (indeed)...
OPENING RECEPTION | Part. 1 | EDDY OCHIENG | SOLO EXHIBITION THE WISE ELDERS | BY THE RIVER
THE WISE ELDERS | BY THE RIVER | Or The Art Of Journaling Emotions, is officially opened.
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all t...
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To mark its inaugural participation in PAN Amsterdam, the premier fair for art, antiques, and design, Gallery ILÉ is thrilled to unveil THE BEACH ...
SAVE THE DATE | THE WISE ELDERS | BY THE RIVER | EDDY OCHIENG | Solo Exhibition
Gallery ILÉ is proud to present THE WISE ELDERS | BY THE RIVER, the first solo exhibition in Amsterdam, by award-winning hyperrealist artist, Edd...
NICOLA LO CALZO | TRAGÉDIA | OR THE ART OF PRODUCING ONESELF
In the wake of our recent landmark exhibition, THE LIVING ARCHIVES | MEMORIES BEYOND THE ATLANTIC, our curation continues to unfold online, grant...
GALLERY ILÉ | PAN AMSTERDAM | 39TH EDITION | 2026 | ART FAIR ATTENDANCE
Gallery ILÉ is pleased to announce its upcoming participation in the 39th edition of PAN Amsterdam, the Netherlands’ leading fair for fine ar...
EDDY OCHIENG | THE WISE ELDERS | BY THE RIVER | NEW BODY OF WORK
Following the success of our previous collection, presenting a series of remarkable paintings by the award wining Kenyan hyperrealist, Eddy Ochieng...
NICOLA LO CALZO | AGOUDAS | AFRICAN MEMORIES | BETWEEN PRIVATE TRANSMISSION AND PUBLIC APPROPRIATION
A foundational component of our recent landmark exhibition, THE LIVING ARCHIVES | MEMORIES BEYOND THE ATLANTIC, are the compelling visual chronic...
