1927 | Stanley Onah I Original Oil Painting

£3,300.00

Original Oil and oil Pastel On Linen Lined Board, Tray Framed

Size: 120cm x 96cm x 4.8cm

Part of the “From Ancient Braids, To Contemporary Fades” Collection 2025

In 1927, Stanley Onah captures the charged glamour of the Harlem Renaissance, a moment when creativity pulsed through smoky clubs and crowded streets, and the Cotton Club stood as the stage where identity performed itself in full colour and contradiction. The figure’s immaculate conk hairstyle: a product of assimilation, yes, but also a testament to pride, precision, and the desire to be seen in a world still shaped by exclusion.

Sheet music from W.C. Handy’s St. Louis Blues drifts across the scene, its melody echoing the birth of jazz and the defiant joy of a people reimagining themselves after bondage. Through rhythm, image, and style, Onah’s composition pays homage to those who transformed survival into song, and struggle into elegance.

Within From Ancient Braids to Contemporary Fades, 1927 marks a turning point, a portrait of becoming, where self-expression negotiates the line between conformity and creation, and beauty itself becomes an act of both adaptation and autonomy.

Original Oil and oil Pastel On Linen Lined Board, Tray Framed

Size: 120cm x 96cm x 4.8cm

Part of the “From Ancient Braids, To Contemporary Fades” Collection 2025

In 1927, Stanley Onah captures the charged glamour of the Harlem Renaissance, a moment when creativity pulsed through smoky clubs and crowded streets, and the Cotton Club stood as the stage where identity performed itself in full colour and contradiction. The figure’s immaculate conk hairstyle: a product of assimilation, yes, but also a testament to pride, precision, and the desire to be seen in a world still shaped by exclusion.

Sheet music from W.C. Handy’s St. Louis Blues drifts across the scene, its melody echoing the birth of jazz and the defiant joy of a people reimagining themselves after bondage. Through rhythm, image, and style, Onah’s composition pays homage to those who transformed survival into song, and struggle into elegance.

Within From Ancient Braids to Contemporary Fades, 1927 marks a turning point, a portrait of becoming, where self-expression negotiates the line between conformity and creation, and beauty itself becomes an act of both adaptation and autonomy.

  • Native Londoner, Onah’s practice is influenced by his blended British/Nigerian heritage – exuding a strength and grit that speaks to London’s underground art scene. His use of colour and understanding of light oozes connections to the rich tapestry and texture of traditional Nigerian art. His portraits, often starkly back-lit or drenched in a ‘golden hour’ haze allow him to capture a pure emotive dialogue with the viewer.

    Onah’s early fascination with comic book artistry is prevalent in his works with a clear nod to artists such as Frank Miller & Dave Gibbons; this marriage of polar aesthetics have allowed Onah to shape an unmistakable visual identity evident in each painting.

    Onah’s latest series delves deep into the human psyche, reflecting the intricate emotional landscape experienced in the aftermath of trauma. Drawing from both personal and observed encounters, the artist invites viewers on a journey of contemplation, welcoming them in, to explore life’s profound questions and discover beauty within the depths of the human spirit.

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