Artist Labid Ommes is fascinated with dating and relationships, forming the theme of her current series of paintings in acrylic on canvas.

Labid is featuring her works at The Owl’s Nest, an art space on the grounds of Meriada Gardens in the Muthangari neighbourhood of Nairobi.

She satirises society’s take on relationships by using a limited palette of colours on dark pink or magenta backgrounds. The Situationships paintings depict a pair of faces with gaping eyes and absurdly long tongues. The chameleon-like tongue of one person is snaking out towards the face of the other.

“Modern-day dating is mainly a battle for power and control, such that each party within the relationship feels the need to constantly dominate,” Labid said.

She added, “The one with the long tongue is controlling the relationship. But the eyes tell you whether the person is interested or not.”

Indeed, the light blue eyes of her subjects are either sneaking peaks at each other or pointedly looking away.

Labid, a student of fine art at Kenyatta University, said that the current generation lacks patience when it comes to dating. “All we ever look for is convenience.”

Another aspect of relationships that she explores through art is monogamy. The Monogamy set of paintings shows three faces of unequal size, but still with minimal features and prominent tongues.

As Labid sees it, there can be a good deal of conflict in relations, sometimes leading to violence. It makes her question whether monogamy is natural to mankind.

“One may argue that there are monogamous relationships that succeed, but in the same manner there are polyandrous and polygamist relationships that have thrived. To each his own,” she said.

Labid first started drawing in pencil at the age of six. She remembers that she enjoyed drawing images of voluptuous women at the time.

“I lived with my grandfather who was a connoisseur of art. He helped me develop this skill, and gave me vintage books on art,” she said.

Labid also dances, sings and plays the orutu, a one-stringed traditional guitar from Western Kenya. “Art is my form of release.”