Ẹwàtómí — “Beauty Is Enough for Me” by Iyanuoluwa Babalola

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

Dimensions: 25 x 30 in

Year: 2026

Price: $800.00 USD

Status: available

Ẹwàtómí is inspired by Yoruba naming traditions, where names carry emotional and philosophical meaning, and by the idea of self-acceptance as a form of inner beauty. As part of my ongoing Oríkì Series, this work continues my exploration of names as vessels of identity and lived experience. It reflects a quiet realization that beauty is not something to pursue endlessly, but something already present and sufficient. The figure’s closed eyes and composed gesture suggest a retreat inward, where self-worth is affirmed without external influence. I chose acrylic for its layering and tonal control, allowing me to merge realism with symbolism, while the portrait format emphasizes stillness, presence, and introspection central to my therapeutic approach. I hope viewers see themselves in this moment of calm and recognize that what they seek outwardly may already exist within them. Ẹwàtómí is a quiet affirmation: beauty, in its truest form, is enough.