Sculpting the City 1

Sculpting the City

1 Sculpting the City

Sculpting the City

Olu Raqib Alimi Richardson Ayanfe Amoda Bashorun Adewale Ovbiebo Olarinde

Dare Emmanuel Rotimi Segun Adenuga Adeyemi Oligbinde Okewumi

2 Sculpting the City Sculpting the City

Working primarily in wood, Alimi Adewale’s sculp- materiality and technique in sculptural practice tures explore contemporary issues ranging from while also examining the social realities in which Gallery solitude, as informed by current happenings, to these objects are produced. The sculptures, be- the beauty and history of place and the impor- yond their aesthetic qualities, serve as reposito- Statement tance of free speech in modern cities. Ayanfe ries of knowledge and reference points in the con- Olarinde’s Somewhere In-Between considers how tinuous dialogue with modern societies. changing social structures and values in communities bring about a state of liminality — where the This would be the first exhibition by the gallery to past is momentarily negated and the future has open to the public since the global COVID-19 lock- yet to begin — and ultimately transformation. In- down. However in light of the imposed restriction corporating found and industrial objects such as on movement and public gatherings in the coun- Rele Gallery is pleased to present Sculpting the historians in understanding the daily workings of wheels, doors, perspex, wood and metal, Richard- try, the exhibition, while installed physically in the City, a sequel to Material Times and the second these ancient cities. Sculpture — in both medium son Ovbiebo ‘Neighbours’ series dissect issues in gallery space will be accessed virtually by the iteration of the gallery’s engagement with purely and form — has since then undergone a constant urban planning, power shortages and socio-eco- public. sculptural forms. An exhibition of sculptures and evolution in its engagement with contemporary nomic gaps, which are all magnified in a rapidly installations by contemporary Nigerian artists societies. We are currently witnessing an emer- developing city like Lagos. who have found the city as an important texture in gence of artistic talents and practice broadening Presenting work across various media, Sculpting their work, Sculpting the City is designed as a way the scope of this collectible medium. the City aims to add to the existing discourse on to examine the dynamic relationship between the city — as ever evolving, occupied space — and The bodies of work featured were carefully select- contemporary sculptural practice. The exhibition ed to expand the existing discourse on current considers the ways in which the built space influ- modes of sculptural expression and to also ex- ences and shapes artistic expression in contem- plore the dialogue between object and audience. porary Nigerian art. Exhibiting artists are Olu Amoda, Alimi Adewale, Raqib Bashorun, Dare Adenuga, Ayanfe Olarinde, Sculptural practice has from the time of its incep- Richardson Ovbiebo, Emmanuel Adeyemi, Segun tion been a significant part of Nigerian art histo- Okewumi and Rotimi Oligbinde. ry, serving as conduits of memory and shedding light on economic and socio-political realities of From early works such as Olu Amoda’s Sunflower past civilisations. From the ancient Nok terracot- , to the recent installation by Emmanuel Adeyemi tas to the magnificent bronzes of Ife and Benin Not Today Does the World End, Not Tomorrow, the to carved masks among various tribes in Nigeria, exhibition explores issues of consumerism, pol- these objects have been instrumental to modern lution and recycling prevalent in modern cities.

4 5 Sculpting the City Olu Amoda Olu Amoda Sculpting the City

Olu Amoda

Born in 1959, Olu Amoda is best recognised for his metal sculptural works gathered from industrial waste which serve as subtle commentary on the growing culture of consumerism and waste in modern African cities.

In his work, Sunflower Amoda explores the residual, collective memory of material in creating new forms. Comprising 2000 tiny blooms that create a bright sun-like glow, this complex yet delicate work is a representation of the artist’s mastery of his medium and his fascination with repurposed materials. This use of materials — sourced from various sites including containers that arrived at Lagos’s Tin Can Island port bearing luxury goods for the Nigerian elite and the growing middle-class — function as subtle commentary on the growing culture of consumerism and lack of industrial agency in modern African societies. The work presented here is one of eighteen iterations on the study of the sunflower with one iteration part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Black Civilization in Senegal which was awarded the prestigious joint winner of Le Grand Prix Léopold Sedar Senghor at the 2014 Dakar biennial.

Amoda is the founder of Riverside Art and Design Studios in Lagos, and since 1987 continues to teach Sculpture and Drawing at the School of Art, Design and Printing at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos. His work can be found in many local and international collections including the New Ark Museum in New Jersey, USA, and he has exhibited over the world: The Museum of Art & Design, USA, the Victoria & Albert Museum, UK and the 6th Biennale de L’Art African Contemporain, Senegal. Sunflower| 48 x 48 inches | Mixed Media | 2019

6 7 Sculpting the City Raqib Bashorun Raqib Bashorun Sculpting the City

Raqib Bashorun

Born in 1955, Raqib Abolore Bashorun studied at Yaba College of Technology before going to the University of Missouri, Columbia for his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Art Education and Master’s in Fine Arts (1984). He also holds a MFA in Sculpture with a minor in Drawing (2002). Bashorun reconstructs pre-existing materials, reinterprets and ultimately repurposes them as recycled art. He is interested in issues of waste, recycling and environmental sustainability

In his work, Bashorun satirises the economic imbalance in contemporary Nigerian society. Incorporating found materials from his immediate environment, most notably metal in form of aerosol, tap heads and spark plugs, the works run commentary on the government inability to provide basic, sustainable amenities in most cities in Nigeria.

Bashorun’s career as an artist and teacher is marked by significant exhibitions around the world. including participating in 13 solo exhibitions and featuring in over 26 group shows home and abroad. Unfulfilled Promises| Brass, Enamel , Paint, Spark Plug and Steel | 24 x 42 x 18 inches | 2016

8 9 Sculpting the City Raqib Bashorun Alimi Adewale Sculpting the City

Alimi Adewale

Born in 1974, Alimi Adewale is a painter and sculptor despite his mechanical engineering background.

Incorporating elements of minimalism, expressionism and abstraction, Alimi’s work explores urban issues and the lives of everyday people in modern cities. His work challenges affected belief systems in and about Nigeria while exploring issues ranging from solitude — as informed by current happenings — as a catalyst for creative thinking, to the beauty and residual energies of African cities and civilisation. He also considers the importance of free speech without fear of retaliation or censorship in contemporary society.

In 2016, Adewale participated in the Konstepidemins residency in Sweden, and in 2017 was an artist-in-residence at Miliki in Lagos. He has held exhibitions at Anima Gallery Doha, Belvedere Artspace Beirut, Galleri Astley Uttersberg, Just Africa Stockholm in Sweden, Alara in Lagos and also has featured in art fairs around the world with Nil Gallery Paris.

Universtaff | Spark Plugs and Steel | 24 x 39 x 9 inches | 2016

10 11 Sculpting the City Alimi Adewale Alimi Adewale Sculpting the City

12 13 Sculpting the City Alimi Adewale Alimi Adewale Sculpting the City

14 15 Sculpting the City Alimi Adewale Alimi Adewale Sculpting the City

16 17 Sculpting the City Richardson Ovbiebo Richardson Ovbiebo Sculpting the City

Richardson Ovbiebo

Richardson Ovbiebo is a sculptor and installation artist who explores the role individuals play in mirroring their environment through their actions and inactions and in the messages about daily life found in common materials.

His work often incorporates found and industrial objects, such as wheels, doors, perspex, wood and metal,which speak to delineations between public and private space and the movement of the urban landscape. His ‘Neighbours’ series dissect issues in urban planning, power shortages and socio-economic gaps, which are all magnified in a rapidly developing city like Lagos. Exploring the materiality of wood and fibreglass as signifiers of old and new architectural processes respectively, his work speaks to a shared experience, memory and history embedded both in the built space and the people that occupy them.

Richardson Ovbiebo graduated from Yaba College of Technology in 2007, majoring in sculpture. He has held solo exhibitions at the National Museum, Omenka Gallery, and A White Space in Lagos, and he has participated in group exhibitions at Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA Lagos) and Terra Kulture. He has also participated in group exhibitions in the United States, Ghana and Cameroon. In 2015, he completed an artist residency at the Vermont Studio Center, USA. . Neighbours | Wood, fibre glass , Metal , Acrylics| 32 x 12 x 9 inches (h x b x w) | 2019

18 19 Sculpting the City Richardson Ovbiebo Ayanfe Olarinde Sculpting the City

Ayanfe Olarinde

Born in 1996, Ayanfe Olarinde graduated from the university of Lagos with a BSc in 2018. Largely self-taught, her oeuvre cuts across various disciplines including painting, sculpture, photography and digital art.

Olarinde’s fascination with wire as material is drawn from an exploration of the fluidity of movement as well as the economy of lines. Her sculptures are an ongoing exploration of the fusion between form and surrounding, a constant negotiation of space. Her series ‘Somewhere In-Between’considers how changing social structures and values in communities bring about a state of liminality — where the past is momentarily negated and the future has yet to begin — and ultimately transformation.

In 2019, she exhibited alongside other photographers at the 25th Bamako Encounters, Mali – OFF exhibition, and the Live-In Desires exhibition by the Goethe Institute Nigeria and The Nlele Institute. Olarinde is presently a mentee at the Nlele institute, and also the director and curator of Unearthical, under which she explores the fashion and fine art genres of photography. Neighbours | Wood, Fibre Glass, Metal, Acrylics | 32 x 12 x 9 inches | 2019

20 21 Sculpting the City Ayanfe Olarinde Ayanfe Olarinde Sculpting the City

22 23 Sculpting the City Ayanfe Olarinde Ayanfe Olarinde Sculpting the City

24 25 Sculpting the City Ayanfe Olarinde Dare Adenuga Sculpting the City

Dare Adenuga

Dare Adenuga is a visual artist born in Lagos, Nigeria. He studied art at the prestigious Yaba College of technology where he took part in various exhibitions such as Beautiful Nigeria at the National museum Onikan and Olokun Art festival in Badagry before graduating in 2011 and has since then been practicing as a fulltime studio artist.

Adenuga’s artistic practice engages with humane traits and character with reference to their benevolent and malevolent influences on their environment. His works act as an illustration of human behaviour and metaphor on how we are both the cause of the problems and misfortune we face, as well as the solution to solving these problems, serving as a call to individual responsibility in the struggle for social development.

Adenuga was a finalist for the ArtX Prize during the 2017 edition of the ArtX Lagos fair and has participated in several exhibitions and different art projects including The Root at the National Museum, Onikan, Prince Charles royal The Ascension- Survival of the quickest | Reduced Iron visit at the British council and It’s Not Furniture by the Temple management company. (Iron Sponge) and copper rod | 3.5 x 11 inches | 2020

26 27 Sculpting the City Dare Adenuga Dare Adenuga Sculpting the City

Amidst Her Peels and Pills | 24 x 28 Inches | 2020 Ecstasy | 12 x 30 Inches | 2020

28 29 Sculpting the City Emmanuel Adeyemi Emmanuel Adeyemi Sculpting the City

Emmanuel Adeyemi

Emmanuel Adeyemi is an innovative recycling visual artist based in Nigeria. Inspired by his environment, his focus is on redeeming and recreating the earth through recycling in hopes of creating a better future. His creative process often involves the use of selected waste or found materials such as; plastics, woods, ropes, fibres (picture frames offcut), bamboos, styrofoams, tins, dumped clothes, cardboard rollers, old furniture and other recycled materials.

His installation Not Today Does the World End, Not Tomorrow explores the effects of waste, pollution and global warming on the environment and the need for a more deliberate approach to recycling especially in large cities.

Adeyemi’s work is collected widely and is a part of reputable national collections. As a speaker at various academic institutions in Nigeria, he hopes to be able to impact the younger generation and raise awareness of the global effects of climate change.

Not Today Does the World End, Not Tomorrow | Mixed Media | 2020

30 31 Sculpting the City Emmanuel Adeyemi Emmanuel Adeyemi Sculpting the City

Not Today Does the World End, Not Tomorrow | Mixed Media | 2020 Not Today Does the World End, Not Tomorrow | Mixed Media | 2020

32 33 Sculpting the City Rotimi Oligbinde Rotimi Oligbinde Sculpting the City

Rotimi Oligbinde

Rotimi Oligbinde was born in Ogun State, Nigeria. He had both his Bachelor and Masters degree in sculpture at Obafemi Awolowo University, IIe-Ife and presently works predominantly in stone, wood, plastics, metal and fibre cast with him sometimes combining these mediums.

His mastery of stone as a medium for his sculptures is evident in the careful attention to form in his figurative and abstract works with his life experiences fuelling the visual and emotional qualities of his work. Exploring themes of contemporary life, past historic events and environment and how they are mirrored in everyday activities, Oligbinde’s current work is focused on exploring femininity and womanhood in Lagos and the ongoing struggle for gender equality in contemporary times.

Oligbinde currently works as a Lecturer at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The Joy of Motherhood | Lime stone | 12 x 8 Inches | 2020

34 35 Sculpting the City Rotimi Oligbinde Rotimi Oligbinde Sculpting the City

36 37 Sculpting the City Rotimi Oligbinde Rotimi Oligbinde Sculpting the City

38 39 Sculpting the City Segun Okewumi Segun Okewumi Sculpting the City

Segun Okewumi

Born in 1996, Segun Okewumi obtained a National Diploma in Art from the Yaba College of Technology before proceeding to Obafemi Awolowo University where he is currently a final year student to earn a Bachelor’s Degree.

Working predominantly with found materials sourced from junk sites around the city of Lagos, Segun Okewumi’s work engages the thriving and dynamic music culture in a city like Lagos. Drawing inspiration from events like Felabration , he recognises the role art and music play in daily life and the way the city serves as an encouraging backdrop for the proliferation of these artistic expressions. He is particularly interested in the durability of his material and the way this is mirrored in the artistic expressions and daily life of the people.

Segun okewumi frequently expresses his artistic philosophies in recycled media. He was initially attracted to sculpture because of its three- dimensionality and the level of concentration that it requires.

Delightful Melody 4 | Iron, Brass, Aluminium | 72 x 10 x 8 inches | 2020

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