Art, Vulnerability, and Redefining Masculinity

이민과 남성성 예술|The One with Mayowa Nwadike: Episode 15

“Art was never just a choice; it became a means of survival. Growing up shy and reserved, I bottled up so much inside. But through art, I found a way to express those buried emotions. Each piece I create allows me to communicate without revealing too much — like throwing flares into the sky, signaling without exposing. It’s a way of telling my story while remaining hidden, reflecting the complexity and layers of human emotions.” — Mayowa (2024)

“With poems, things felt too personal, almost like throwing flares in the sky that everyone could see and interpret too directly. But with paintings, I can hide behind layers of symbols and expressions. I can tell stories without them pointing directly back to me. People might see various emotions or narratives in my work, but they can’t easily decipher what I’m personally going through. That was the idea — art became a way for me to express myself while maintaining privacy.” — Mayowa (2024)

In this episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Mayowa Nwadike, a self-taught Nigerian immigrant artist whose work challenges the status quo and explores the complexities of toxic masculinity and the immigrant experience. Mayowa’s journey into art wasn’t a deliberate choice; it was as if art found him, becoming his way to express the often overlooked nuances of human emotion.

Growing up in a religious family as the middle child, Mayowa had a front-row seat to the subtle dynamics that shape emotional development — dynamics that now vividly resonate in his mixed-media creations. His art, often a striking blend of acrylic and charcoal, captures those fleeting, gray areas of emotion that lie between societal labels and expectations, inviting viewers to confront and redefine harmful gender stereotypes.

Our conversation touched on how Mayowa’s upbringing influenced his artistic path. Despite being academically inclined, his passion for art was initially discouraged by his parents, who, like many of their generation, viewed traditional career paths as more secure…