Welcome to Barakart
Adetokunbo
Alabi Mubarak, a visual artist from Ifelodun, Kwara State, locks in on visual artistry using colors to give life to his pieces. Mubarak is a visual artist who started painting professionally in 2022. He first picked up painting with white and black portraits. His work has since evolved to fulfilling his painting dreams using colors to walk into the hearts of many who come across his pieces.
What are your creative tools?
Mubarak mostly works with pencils. Initially, he sketches the first drafts digitally to get the dimensions correct and then transfers them to the drawing paper.
Although I first started painting with black and white portraits, I now want to tell stories with colors and sometimes that can look like having references or watching people, or a traditional movie that shows the strength in people, I always have something to say when I see people. The colors gave a new meaning to me when my work evolved into it. My pieces have more life and more depth, just by how blending the colors makes me feel and I hope that people think what I feel when they interact with my work.
Tell me about your favorite pieces
“Adetokunbo” is a piece about the dual identity and internal conflict of a young man who is torn between pursuing his dreams abroad and fulfilling his responsibilities at home. He chose the name, which means “the king has come from overseas,” because he was going for a narrative deeply rooted in my culture and something that could depict his strength.
It was inspired by the Nollywood film Tokunbo, but Mubarak chose not to literally depict the character but to reimagine him through a culturally grounded lens, something that mirrors my own journey of balancing school, art, and personal growth. In this way, Adetokunbo became a deeply personal story of my own resilience, duty, and the strength to hold space for multiple truths.
Àsà is another one of such pieces, it’s about celebrating Yoruba culture through fashion, tradition and identity. It was a series, and this series highlights the beauty and uniqueness of traditional clothing and the significance of tribal marks. It's a way of honoring his roots and encouraging others to embrace and take pride in their culture.
Then the last one is Blue Maiden, Title: Blue Maiden II
Mubarak explains that the inspiration behind this series comes from his personal journey of learning to embrace his individuality and the deep desire to be seen as he truly is. He has always felt strong inner energy and expressing that authentically took time and art became his way of doing it. As he developed his style, Mubarak began to use bold colors, strong contrasts, and minimal but intentional detailing to express not just himself, but the idea that visibility is more than being looked at, it’s about being understood on your terms.
Mubarak explains that he is inspired by the strength and quiet power of those who stay true to themselves in a world that constantly tries to define them. This series is very unique in the sense that every subject he draws reflects that energy, and each one is a piece of how he sees himself and how he believes others deserve to be seen: with confidence, individuality, and presence.