Yomi Bas

Imago Dei

Imago Dei: The Awakening of the Inner Christ — The African Renaissance of Faith is a ten-part series of large oil paintings that re-envision the biblical narrative through an African metaphysical lens. Rooted in both Renaissance-inspired realism and Neville Goddard's spiritual philosophy, the collection explores the mystery of Christ not as distant history but as the awakening of divine imagination within man.

The project positions Africa at the center of a spiritual rebirth — reclaiming the identity of Christ as an African archetype, while illuminating the deeper, universal truth that every man is the image of God. Rendered in a palette of ochre, gold, and sienna, the paintings merge the old and the new, creating a bridge between sacred art, philosophy, and consciousness.

Conceptual Framework

This body of work draws directly from Neville Goddard's metaphysical teachings. The life of Christ is retold as a psychological and spiritual allegory — from creation to resurrection, from ignorance to awakening — with each painting portraying a moment in this inner journey.

Christ, depicted as a Black figure throughout the series, becomes both the literal and symbolic center of creation — the face of divinity in the African soul, aligning with rediscovered archives and iconography of early Black Christs in Eastern Orthodox and Russian collections.