The world of art is indeed unique, though continually evolving, new groups are constantly formed when artists find others with similarity in their artistic styles or ideologies. And just when you think you have seen it all, something even more creative comes along and a new trend begins.

Entering the Terra Kulture gallery especially during an exhibition holds strange fascination for any art lover as he/she begins to appreciate the attention to details given to aesthetic presentation of the place including horticulture displays.

The general scenario seems to create in the mindset of visitors a prelude to what is within the halls.

In this light, visitors to the opening ceremony of Expressions an exhibition by Olusegun Akinsola, Bimbo Adenuga and Olusola Olumuyiwa, which began on Saturday, July 12, at Terra Kulture, used adjectives like "Seductive, fascinating, intriguing," to describe what they saw. The delight on their faces as they moved through the exhibition hall to comprehend the gamut of artworks before them was evident in their eyes and the reverent way they looked at the works as the light of comprehension dawned on them was a beauty to behold.

Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, art connoisseur and collector, described the works on display as an indication that the artists had come of age, "The boldness of the strokes, the seductive rendition of fairly commonplace objects like drummers, girls hawking, and even the okada rider... There is something about their capacity to capture everyday things that is intriguing even to the level of capturing water on the streets. The colours are vibrant and appealing even though I am not a great pointillism lover, I could see quite clearly that a great deal of effort goes into bringing out the expressions of the objects being painted," he said.

According to Akinsola, the exhibition is a maiden one to showcase members of a new group call the 4XPs, which is coined out of the words: explore, experience, experiment and express. He said though they were three in number, he was certain they would grow as the year progressed. He said in recent times graduates of art from other schools especially the Auchi School had come out very forcefully in the art market, "so three of us from the Yaba School decided to come together to show that products of Yaba School have also been working." Akinsola said another reason for the exhibition was to make people look at things from the perspective of an artist without collectors bearing down on them on how to conceptualise their works because they commissioned artists to do them.

The messages perceived in the works on display discuss diverse issues in the Nigerian society, ranging from weather conditions to the GSM situation. In works such as Adenuga's Oju Oja, the subtle manner in which the face of the market is created using the various elements already present in the painting depicts great ingenuity.

Akinola's pointillism though seemingly bizarre, was a delight to view, as he was able to combine every point in a manner that left no one in doubt of his intentions. Pieces on display such as The Walk, Celebration, Hope and Who Cares depict attention to details together with great finesse in finishing.

The works exhibited by the artists take the society to task on its perceived slumber and unwillingness to confront public issues causing disrepair to the image of the country both internally and in the eyes of the world.