Artist bio

Everblessed Ajie, a Nigerian artist based in Port-Harcourt, has specialized in the visual arts and devoted himself to creating art for the past five years. He hopes to bring his ideas to life with intentional strokes using graphite and charcoal pencils. With use of symbolism, idioms and allegories he tends to produce interactive visual drawings, enabling viewers to observe society and biblical conventions and themes through his eyes, feel through his mind, and walk a mile in his boots, resulting in a silent and heartfelt engagement with his audience.

Title

The Solders duty: none weak among us

Medium/Genre

Other

Artist Statement

I aim to encourage all Christians to let go of all forms of fear in our battles and take on faith, trust, and love. Just as the fully armored soldier bears a calm resolve during adversity, we should trust in God’s promise to love and protect us. Not all Christians can remember this in times of adversity and trials. Our talents, such as artists, activists, caregivers, orators, etc., should be used to fulfill Christ's request of us. Going out into the world, we should care for the weak. Pulling them from the valley of death, depression, and loss of hope up the stairs of salvation, from darkness into light, holding up the word of God as our living standard. In holding God's word as our living standard, sinners would reach up to find peace and satisfaction. In prayer and supplication, we should bear each other's burdens, so there shall be none weak among us.
Everblessed Ajie,
Graphite and charcoal on paper
36 by 48 inches

How it fits into contest

The theme of this art is centered on the gospel of peace and encouragement for all Christians. I understand the spiritual battle to be personal for every Christian (mostly in terms of temptations), but also a fight in which we are not alone (Christ and his church). Having received spiritual/physical encouragement from friends, family, church, and organizations (such as the engage art) at times I was burdened and somehow couldn’t encourage myself in Christ, And having seen people from our groups get encourages through songs, art, caregiving. These events shaped how I saw Ephesians 6:10-20. Not just a revelation of the dangers of the welfare state we are in and how to overcome them, but a letter that would go on to strengthen Christians till Christ comes. Which is a manifestation of God's gifting (gift of utterance) to Paul, and with it he fulfills the command of Christ bestowed on every Christian (Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19-20). He calls the unsaved to Christ and strengthens the weary in Christ simultaneously (Galatians 6:2). I see this as the duty of Paul in his fight as he went on encouraging saints to stand firm until he could say he had fought a good fight. This was inspiring to me as I remembered all the times I was able to stand due to the encouragement I had received. Emulation, our talents as artists, caregivers, orators, etc., should be used to encourage all Christians and rescue our fellows that haven’t tasted God's love and wonders. This drawing bears the weight of this story using the description of Paul merging it with symbols, of various cultures and tribes of today such as;
The skull, the Rafflesia, and the red spider lily symbolize death and loss of hope.
Serpent- Representing temptation
The stairs – Steps to Christ and salvation
The whole amour –
Prayer: The full-armored soldier prays calmly as he fulfills his task, and though terror floods the scene, his countenance is of peace and trust-filled with faith as God protects him just as promised.
Belt of Truth the breastplate of righteousness
Feet fitted with the readiness of peace. Located at the center of the page, it is the main focus of this piece.
With the shield of faith, you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
The Helmet of Salvation represents salvation and just as the equipped soldier serves as a guide to putting on the helmet to the just saved Christian, chains would be broken
The Sword of the Spirit: the word of God which is held up, allowing the saved to accept and uncover further what God has in store for us. (Hebrew text on sword sheath to represent hesseed/agape love), the just saved Christian reaches out to uncover more of the peace and joy found in the gospel.
The Soldiers cape was designed with adrinka symbols used to cloth the unbeliever; symbolizes the caregiving (Matthew 25:36) on the dress and shield are adrinka symbol is an ancient symbol originating from West Africa. Each symbol has its meaning, it helps me engage a larger audience here in west Africa, as it helps me preserve good culture and connect my audience with values worthy to uphold by every Christian, In this drawing I Used; (source link to the symbols mentioned below at end of this presentation)
Nyame Nti: faith and trust in God
Gye Nyame: The supremacy of God
Odo Nnyew Fie Kwan: The Power of Love
Oyankopon Adom Nti Biribiara beye Yie: By God's grace, all will be well.
Mframadan: Wind-resistant house
Akoben: Vigilance
Akofena: Courage
Ananse ntontan- wisdom, creativity
Nkyimn: Skilfulness
Nyame ye ohene: God is the king
The bag by the side of the soldier/ the coins found on the hand of the unbeliever: the bag serves as a holder of talents. Here the solder's talent is depicted as that of a painter, and he has just sown a talent in the hand of the newfound Christian, as in Christ’s parable.
Just as the scene leaves the page as if to say go into the world. It is a silent scream reminding us of what we must do to fulfill Christ’s charge to us.
(Source to adrinka Symbols used: https://sankofaimports.com/andinkra-symbols/)

Credits

Ajie Conqueror
Melody
Credit: reference study

How to Purchase this Artwork

USD $ 4000
contact @artwitheverblessed@gmail.com

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