Soul Oriki

Soul Oriki is an exposition project that features a collection of portraits that explore the souls
and stories of various characters. The sample will consist of a total of 16 pieces in different
formats (acrylic-canvas) (acrylic-paper)

Background
Oríkì is the oral praise poetry of the Yoruba communities of Western Africa. It is expressed by
chants in the Yoruba language which is spoken by over 40 million people in parts of West
Africa, Brazil and Cuba.
The artist behind Soul Oriki was born into the Afro-Cuban community, a vibrant and diverse
group of people who have a long and complex history. They have a unique culture that is
characterized by their syncretic religion, music, dance and, of course, art.
Talented Afro-Cuban artist Erik Olivera Rubio can be included in the select group of
contemporary artists who position Afro-Cuban sensibility at the representational apex. With his
work loaded with a very strong descriptive expressiveness, he illustrates the African
component as an indispensable element in the identity formation of the individual in America.

Exposition:
The portraits in Soul Oriki are stunning works of art that capture the essence and soul of each
character. Each painting tells a story, and each story is a reflection of the rich and complex
history of the Afro-Cuban community. The characters featured in the exhibition include spirits,
deities, and everyday people. Olivera infuses his canvases with an intimate and personal tone

that envelops his identity. His technique, linked to the play of light and shadow that allows
simulating the different chromatic shades of black gives the compositions a greater visual
impact.
This project is his chant to the souls he portrays.

Conclusion:
Soul Oriki is a powerful and moving art exposition. This project starts from the portrait as an
artistic genre which allows us to visualize the psychology of the characters, scrutinizing their
character, their physiognomy, their body language, observing how that imprint of Africa has
been captured in them and showing it to us through their canvases, cardboard, drawings,
sketches and other elements. Creating a sociological imagination that makes you feel from the
voices of these portraits, an aesthetic idea marked by a concept with a strong historical
content The blackness of his characters is not limited to the color of the acrylic, nor to the
phenotypic traits it outlines, but rather, he fully understands that being black goes beyond what
is observable and it is more than a genetic inheritance; a cultural legacy to be cherished.