Balikis Badru’s portfolio has one constant – a conflict. On one side, she wishes to show off the body of each subject. On the other, she wishes to hide the true self of each person. Using the alias Kejii’s Art, Nigerian-born figurative painter Balikis Badru uses the human body not just as portraiture, but as an emotional container. Many times her subjects have no faces, are in shadow, wear masks, or face away from the viewer. When their bodies are fully revealed, their internal worlds are guarded. In works created from 2021-2026, Badru switches back and forth between oil and acrylic paintings, expressive figuration, silhouette-like images, and narrative scenes. Themes of vulnerability, identity, memory, and human connection can be seen in all of her work.

However, these themes are strongest when Badru avoids telling stories and instead uses color, posture, and atmosphere to express the emotional weight. A great example of this is Harmony in Form. This painting shows a nude female figure next to a large black guitar. Both the body and the guitar do more than simply share space in the same image; they seem to lean towards each other. The curves of the guitar mimic those of the figure’s torso, while the woman’s upward gaze suggests submission, perhaps to the music being played, to her own pleasure or to private contemplation. Badru uses warm ochre and burnt orange against a dark background, creating an intimate, almost enclosed space.

While Harmony in Form is sexually charged, it is the rhythm of the painting that creates the sensuality. The body and instrument become two separate entities that are connected visually by a common melody. There are many examples of how Badru connects music to the body. Combining Art and Music clearly illustrates this connection. A dancer is positioned inside the sweeping lines of a musical symbol, causing her figure to resemble a mere silhouette. Combining Art and Music is less psychologically complex than Harmony in Form; however, its simplicity works well. Movement is expressed through contour rather than facial expression, and the large musical notation seems almost choreographed. Conversely, For the Love of Music is dramatic and outward-facing. Its saxophone player poses in a high performance manner. The chair, high heels, hat and instrument collectively communicate the visual language of jazz performance. The image draws on familiar elements found in cabaret and stage photography. Yet, Badru’s treatment of the image gives it the appearance of a remembered dream rather than a photojournalistic scene. Light surrounds the musician forming a halo around her and creating distance from her surroundings. The performance becomes an intimate act of self-possession. Music in Badru’s work is not always joyous. Indulgence: Last Set shows a seated trumpeter in an environment filled with smoke, fatigue and lost glamour. Green heels enter the frame from the right side, indicating either an unseen audience member or performer. An abandoned instrument case lies at the musician’s feet. The title implies not only the final performance of the night but also the emotional drain of continuing to perform. The trumpeter is formally dressed; however, his posture appears inward and weary. In this instance, indulgence leaves behind an unpleasant taste. Indulgence: Last Set functions effectively due to its open-ended nature. There is no explanation provided regarding the connection between the musician and the partially seen woman or why the musician sits alone. Ambiguity in relation to the scene creates mental depth.

Additionally, it exemplifies a significant aspect of Badru’s artistic process: her most successful narrative paintings provide enough information for the viewer to enter into the scene yet provide enough ambiguity so as not to impose on the viewer’s interpretation. Elsewhere in her portfolio, Badru directly addresses concealment. The Silhouette reduces the female body to an arrangement of black and white shapes. Shoulders, hips, face, and torso appear out of carefully controlled areas of negative space.

Although The Silhouette is formally simpler than many works surrounding it, it can be considered one of Badru’s most assertive works. By concealing surface details, Badru focuses on structure and presence. The figure is anonymous without being absent. Similar techniques can be seen in In Her Stillness. A dark seated figure is positioned against a background of brightly colored gestural marks. Her face is barely visible while one hand extends in a manner that could indicate offering, explanation, prayer or anticipation. The visual tension exists between the stillness of the body and the chaos of the background. The figure seems to separate herself from her noisy environment. In terms of composition, In Her Stillness would benefit from improved spatial relationships between the figure and background. At present, the body seems positioned in front of color rather than emerging from it.

Nevertheless, this separation serves to reinforce the work’s emotional essence. Stillness should not be interpreted as emptiness; it represents a deliberate decision to avoid being overwhelmed. Crowned Rhythm extends this concept. A woman stands in profile with a portion of her face obscured. A golden crown floats above her head while a continuous line follows her body like a waveform. Badru’s use of gold and dark brown imparts a ceremonial quality to Crowned Rhythm.

While a crown may readily be interpreted as a symbol of powerlessness, the inward-turned posture of the figure complicates that interpretation. She does not present herself as royalty to the viewer. Her authority appears private, possibly even burdensome. At the center of Badru’s portfolio is the 2025 series entitled The Four Elements which consists of Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. Each painting contains a faceless female figure surrounded by vivid color and gestural movement. The Four Elements chooses mood over detailed narrative, presenting the figure as a vessel for elemental sensation. Fire stands out as the most immediately recognizable of the four. Swirls of red, black and yellow surround the figure implying both destruction and rebirth. The figure appears nearly consumed by the heat generated by the flame. Instead of portraying fire as an external force affecting the figure, Badru portrays it as an expression of an emotional state. Water, represented by pale blue and white hues, provides a sharp contrast. The figure in Water appears less corporeal, almost blending into the surrounding waves. Brushstrokes create mist-like effects, foam-like effects, and movement.

While the boundaries of the figure remain clearly defined, they appear ephemeral. It is here that Badru’s emphasis on vulnerability becomes particularly compelling: identity is expressed not through emotion but through the potentiality for disappearance. Earth is relatively weighty and corporeal compared to Water. The figure in Earth is formed by blues, creams and muted tonal transitions to produce a sense of immobility and stillness. The color selections are unexpected compared to browns typically associated with earth but visually connect with Water. Differentiation between these two panels would strengthen the elemental themes present in The Four Elements. Air is depicted using deep ochre and browns, an uncommon palette for subjects normally associated with lightness and transparency. This selection imparts air with a tangible quality similar to soil density. That contradiction is interesting. A conceptual explanation for Air would improve its effectiveness. At present, Air seems more effective as expressions of emotional states than as literal depictions of each element in The Four Elements. Repetition of the female torso throughout The Four Elements creates unity but also illustrates a possible weakness in Badru’s visual style. The faceless woman has become a dominant motif in The Four Elements.

However, repetition beyond moderation may result in diminishing emotional resonance and transform what once served as a meaningful symbol into a recognizable pattern. The subsequent evolution of her practice may require Badru to explore how much this body can be altered or fragmented and placed in more complex compositions without losing the serenity associated with it. Commissioned portrait work also demonstrates another aspect of Badru’s work. The Joker is readily identifiable through its elaborate face paint and costume; however, Badru seems more concerned with the dichotomy between mask and individual. The direct frontal pose gives the figure a strong presence while maintaining a static grin that expresses emotional ambiguity. This relates directly to the broader portfolio’s themes of concealment although its cultural references are more apparent than those expressed through symbolic language in earlier works by Badru.

Overall, Badru’s portfolio demonstrates an artist transitioning between various approaches: symbolic figuration, musical narrative, commissioned portrait work, and expressive studies of nature. Not all works achieve equivalent levels of resolution. At times symbols such as crowns, musical notations and color associations quickly convey their meanings. In other works such as The Silhouette, Harmony in Form, Indulgence: Last Set and portions of The Four Elements she successfully embraces ambiguity. It is through ambiguity that Badru develops her own unique voice. Her figures are not depicted as personalities awaiting identification; they serve as vessels for mood, memory and sensation. They exist in a space between exhibitionism and protection — often visible in form but inaccessible in expression. Badru’s work resonates most when she allows silence to exist as an active component. The absence of a face does not equate with an absence of identity; it causes viewers to search for identity elsewhere — in the angle of a shoulder, the curve of a hand, the force of color against the body or in the space between a musician and his final note. Her portfolio reflects a developing formal language but one already rooted in an established emotional domain — intimate, rhythmic and quietly disturbing.

Written by Ngozi Uma