Urban Souls by Rapheal Akano
Explore Mondoir Studio
Medium: Acrylic and charcoal on canvas
Dimensions: 16 x 24 in
Year: 2026
Price: $800.00 USD
Status: available
In Urban Souls, I explore the emotional silence that exists beneath the surface of modern city life. The figure is presented in a moment of stillness, disconnected from the noise around her yet deeply connected to herself. Her closed eyes symbolize reflection, healing, and the unseen emotional world carried within everyday existence. The city elements placed behind her represent movement, ambition, struggle, and memory — fragments of an environment that constantly shapes identity. I wanted the contrast between softness and strength to speak through the composition, using light, shadow, and minimal distraction to emphasize dignity, elegance, and inner resilience. This work is not only a portrait of a woman, but a portrait of countless souls navigating contemporary life while carrying grace in silence. Through this piece, I invite viewers to pause and reflect on the beauty of calmness, self-possession, and emotional depth in a fast-moving world.
Why collect this work?
A sharply modelled profile occupies most of the canvas, while a compressed city fragment sits behind it, turning urban life into a peripheral pressure rather than the portrait’s centre.
- The artist profile describes Rapheal Akano’s mixed-media practice as focused on identity and emotion. Here, that interest is concentrated through a single poised figure rather than a narrative scene.
- In the photograph, closed eyes, an elongated neck and uninterrupted tan ground create stillness. The small, irregular buildings introduce density and activity, supporting the artist’s stated intention to contrast reflection with city movement.
- The documented acrylic and charcoal on canvas allow broad, flat colour beside fine tonal modelling. This contrast separates the schematic skyline from the carefully articulated face and reflective jewellery.
- At 16 by 24 inches, according to the catalogue, the work condenses portraiture and cityscape into one frame. It provides a focused case for considering how contemporary figuration represents self-possession under metropolitan pressure.
About the Artist
Rapheal Akano
Rapheal Akano is an artist on Mondoir Studio. Artistic discipline: mixed-media. Based in Oyo, NG.
Nationality: Nigerian
Through art, I aim to communicate Beauty of African, emotion, identity, and the subtle details of human experience.
