Record-Holding WT Track Star to Show Artistic Side in New Exhibition

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — A West Texas A&M University track star will explore “the space between motion and stillness” in a new art exhibition opening Dec. 4.

Joseph Oreva-Oghene Edafiadhe, a senior art major from Ughelli, Nigeria, will open “Oreva” in the Dord Fitz Formal Art Gallery in WT’s Mary Moody Northen Hall. An opening reception is set for 5 p.m. Dec. 4. The exhibition is on view through Dec. 19.

“My work explores the transition from representational images rooted in my life as a track and field athlete into more abstracted forms,” Edafiadhe said. “I am drawn to what happens in the space between motion and stillness — the hesitation, buildup and internal rhythm that athletes feel before the body moves. That interest naturally opened the door to me for abstraction, where texture, gesture, and layered surfaces express emotions and memory rather than literal depiction.”

Photo: Joseph Oreva-Oghene Edafiadhe, a senior art major from Ughelli, Nigeria, will display his work in "Oreva," opening Dec. 4. Edafiadhe is a record-holding long jumper at WT in addition to his academic studies.

Edafiadhe competed for WT Athletics as a long jumper, earning multiple NCAA Division II All-American honors, including back-to-back national runner-up finishes. He also holds both the indoors and outdoors records at WT in the long jump.

His athletic career directly impacts the work he’ll exhibit in the show, which is the last step before his graduation in December. He will return to WT in the spring to pursue a graduate degree in computer information systems and business analytics.

“You will see precise marks sitting right next to loose, unpredictable strokes. It reflects how athletes build identity through repetition, discipline, correction and vulnerability,” Edafiadhe said. “The work becomes a conversation between the physical training of the body and the emotional training of the mind.”

Edafiadhe “brings a unique viewpoint to his paintings,” said Jon Revett, head of WT’s  Department of Art, Theatre and Dance  in the  Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities .

“His content is imagery of intimate moments at track meets, revealing interactions between athletes and coaches not often seen by the audience,” Revett said. “He chose to not settle on a single style, and his work presents groupings of four paintings that start with representational images that move through abstraction, ending with a non-objective work.This breaking down of figuration mimics the training and practice all athletes go through to become successful in their sport.”

Fitz Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and by appointment Fridays and Saturdays. Email  rweingart@wtamu.edu .

Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World .

That plan is fueled by the historic  One West  comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign has raised more than $175 million and will continue through 2025.

About West Texas A&M University

A Regional Research University, West Texas A&M University is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The University also is home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

—WT—