By Akintayo Abodunrin
Exhibited as part of the Art for impact exhibition at BitBasel during Miami Art Week, from December 3 to 7, 2025, Precious Ozemoya’s acrylic painting “Echoes Below Water” offers a striking and deeply unsettling exploration of nature through a surrealist lens.
The artist combines elements of horror and abstraction, creating a mysterious atmosphere that draws the viewer into a world where the boundaries between the organic and the inorganic are blurred, evoking a sense of unease.
A dominant, unsettling red creature sets a haunting tone, amplifying the sense of otherworldliness, while a full moon casts an unsettling light, adding to the sense of isolation and mystery.
At the heart of the composition of her painting, a dominant, red creature looms—its unsettling presence commanding the viewer’s gaze. This monstrous figure, with exaggerated, jagged features, seems to emerge directly from the wall, as though it belongs to a dimension beyond our own.
The creature’s grotesque anatomy, marked by sharp teeth, angular limbs, and a distorted organic texture, evokes fear. Its presence is disturbing. It is not merely a representation of terror but an embodiment of nature’s potential in its untamed form—symbolising the darker, destructive forces of the natural world when left unchecked. Its open, gaping mouth and aggressive posture speak to the dangers that arise when human intervention disrupts the delicate balance of nature.
Above, a full moon casts an ethereal light, its pale glow accentuating the sense of isolation that permeates the scene. This celestial body, in its indifferent quietude, seems to observe the turmoil below suggesting a nature that is omnipresent, yet unwaveringly distant and aloof.
The juxtaposition of the moon’s serene illumination against the creature’s menacing presence highlights the tension between beauty and violence, creation and destruction—a duality that pulses through the painting.
Surrounding the central figure, the landscape itself is both chaotic and hypnotic. The artist employs tendrils, spheres, and twisted branches to construct an environment that feels as disorienting as it is compelling.
In this painting, precious use of dark, blood-red hues clash against the cool teal background, heightens the tension and distorts the viewer’s perception. Her skilful contrast between warm and cool tones deepens the sense of unease, amplifying the viewer’s engagement with the work’s emotional landscape.
The play between organic forms and the backdrop creates a strong sense of depth, drawing the viewer’s attention to both the visible and the hidden elements of the painting.
Small, almost unnoticed details such as shapes resembling planets hint at a broader, infinite universe beyond the confines of the canvas, leaving the viewer with the unsettling sense that the moment depicted is merely one fragment of an endless, mysterious expanse.
The artist skilful use of abstract forms in the surrounding space—tendrils, spheres, and fragmented shapes speak to the complexity and ever-changing nature of life. They evoke the cycles of growth, decay, and renewal that govern natural systems.
There is a delicate balance between the chaotic, aggressive elements of nature and the subtle, fragile symbols of life, such as the snowflakes scattered across the surface. These delicate details suggest the inherent fragility of existence, reminding the viewer of life’s tenuous balance in the face of overwhelming power.
Precious use of warm, intense colours evokes the energy of a vibrant ecosystem, while cooler undertones allude to the hidden dangers that exist within nature. This exploration of nature’s duality—its ability to grow, and wither, create, destroy, forces viewers to confront the awe and fear that the natural world can inspire.
In the painting, Echoes Below Water, precious skilful fusion of organic and cosmic horror, captures a delicate balance between beauty and grotesque intensity.
Her use of light, texture, and surreal imagery, evokes a profound emotional response from the viewer, one that invites contemplation on forces beyond human control, both internal and external.
This painting illustrates how art can provoke deep emotional reactions through the manipulation of colour, form, and atmosphere.
The artist does not present nature as a peaceful retreat but as a raw, untamed force—one that is as capable of destruction as it is of creation. The painting urges viewers to reflect on their own place within this ecosystem, prompting contemplation of whether humanity is, in fact, a contributor to the destructive powers that threaten the natural world.
