Year: 2021
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 199 x 180 cm (78 3/8 x 70 7/8 in.)
Acquired from Sotheby's, 2023
Zibor was once an active soccer player. This work reflects the strong bonds formed with his friends back then, relationships so close that they refer to each other as brothers. “Fountain of Brotherhood” is a series depicting these friends huddled together, forming a group sculpture resembling a fountain, with this piece the first in the series. At dusk by the water’s edge, chicks are perched atop soccer balls. A white parrot is juxtaposed with a black crow. Nine figures are in the water, with only their faces visible above the surface, while small origami-like boats float among them. The four figures huddled together in the center seem to merge into one mass, slipping into each other’s clothes—perhaps symbolizing the strength of their unity. While the artist describes depicting scenes from his sketches or dreams, the surrealist touch blends with the artist’s unique sense of color and form, informed by the cultural influences he has absorbed from both Nigeria and Kazakhstan.
