The Distillery of Modern Art’s (DOMA) Watson Gallery just got a lot more colorful. “Heritage in Hues,” an exhibition featuring works by Lola Okunola and Travis Love, is on display now through November 10, 2024. 

I recently had the chance to speak with Okunola and Love about their processes, what brought them together for this exhibition, and all the similarities and differences between their works. Okunola is a mixed media artist whose works highlight her Nigerian heritage through texture, form, and color. Love is an abstract artist, who uses sinewy, intersecting lines in his works to explore themes of unity and togetherness. 

“My art is heavily inspired by my heritage which is Nigerian and my roots are specifically Yoruba, a tribe in Nigeria,” explained Okunola, who first landed the exhibition opportunity at DOMA and was then charged with securing another artist to showcase their works alongside hers. “I was looking for an artist whose work would complement mine.” 

The show consists of two disparate bodies of work; Okunola’s fashion-inspired pieces, and Love’s signature “tangleism” approach to abstract art. Okunola told me that the juxtaposition of her works with Love’s resulted in a beautiful and strong curatorial selection of about 20 finished works. 

Okunola’s ties to her Nigerian roots are evidenced not only in the facial features of her figures, but also in the fabrics and patterns she uses for their clothing as well as the quilling she uses for hair and the appearance of traditional Gele headwear. Coming from a big family, with deep family ties, it is no surprise that Okunola’s heritage is front and center in her works. 

“I’m very big on family, so a lot of my pieces have large families in them,” Okunola said. “My pieces are very colorful, and the colors are deliberate; it’s not just by chance. I love greens because of resilience and strength, I love red and yellow for joy and warmth, I love blues because I am fascinated by and love water. I use bright colors to evoke emotions and draw attention.” 

Okunola’s works have graced the walls of Zari Gallery in London, Mash Gallery in Hollywood, and Hammonds House Museum here in Atlanta. She has also participated in Miami Art Week, is featured in the Hamilton Hotel in Alpharetta, and serves on the Arts and Culture Commission in Brookhaven. 

Meanwhile Love’s works are decidedly less representational. While one could speculate as to what the undulating forms in his paintings might represent in the real world, the style is one that allows Love to feel free during the creative process. The style also lends itself well to collaborative applications which include Coca-Cola, Toyota, and AT&T, among others.

When he was a young man, Love was an avid skateboarder. In fact, for a while, he thought that would be the path he would pursue. But ultimately he couldn’t escape his artistic passions. For a time he worked as a graphic designer, eventually finding his way into working in the corporate world, before he shifted gears and devoted himself fully to his art. 

“I took my last check and invested it in my business,” said Love, evidence of his true entrepreneurial spirit. “I started a clothing line and it did pretty well. Over the years I had more people relate to the artwork rather than the apparel. People requested more art from me, they didn’t really want t-shirts, so people started hiring me to do murals and I started getting more opportunities as well.”

Through connections with friends and fellow artists, Love landed his first breakthrough collaboration with Adidas for their MLS All Star Weekend in 2018. “That was my first major deal, and it really kind of opened my eyes to see that art is lucrative and I can actually make a living as an artist.”

Considering how well the two artists’ works play off of each other in the gallery, it may be surprising to find out that they didn’t really know each other prior to landing this opportunity at DOMA. And while one can draw parallels between their works, with commonalities including bright, vibrant colors, patterns, and an affinity for fashion, they also have their fair share of differences. 

Love shared that he admired Okunola’s works and the ways in which she pulls from her family legacy and heritage. He shared that he feels personally a bit distanced from his own heritage, and it’s refreshing to see such a clear connection to her roots in her works. Meanwhile, Okunola said that she has started to see stories hidden just below the surface in Love’s colorful works, and finds the patterns to be reminiscent of some of the clothing patterns that she holds so dear.

Okunola was present for an artist showcase at the Watson Gallery last weekend, and Love will be in attendance for his own artist showcase this coming weekend, Fri., Sept. 27. To see more of these artists’ works– and enjoy a darn good cocktail while you’re at it– stop by “Heritage in Hues” at DOMA during open hours now through Nov. 10, 2024.