Arts View

Dec 2024 – Feb 2025

Adeyemi Olalekan: Painter

Lagos, Nigeria

Adeyemi Olalekan is a Nigerian national who was born in the eighties and hails from Odeomu Town in Osun State, Nigeria.

He is a painter of visually engaging and photo-surrealistic paintings, infusing a strong socio-cultural interpretation into his work, in search of an aesthetic representation and an avenue to extract the best of his creativity.

“I seek to illustrate more than what meets the eye, which inspires my choice of a dynamic rendition style in order to captivate viewers and invite them to look not just once but repeatedly and with a new find at each encounter.

I strongly perceive the affairs of life as a peeling-off process; just as the skin is shed, first comes the loss of hold to former ground, then follows the cracking or peeling off, which leaves suggestive evidence of time.

This conscious experience transcends any time. I want my works to be timeless and still have relevance when encountered because just as time goes by, life goes on”.

Adeyemi is a Fine and Applied Arts graduate and holds a B. Tech (Hons.) from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.

He has participated in numerous exhibitions in Nigeria and his works are found in many private collections in Nigeria and abroad.

AGN; The life of an artist is rarely an easy path. Why and when did you decide it was the life for you?

AO; In 2006 I decided to turn to art as a career. It was and remains due to what I see around me and what I hear from people, but most especially what resonates within me. Art is something I do effortlessly and it appears that people appreciate it a lot.

Their appreciation always triggers my emotions and made me believe that there is a future in art for me.

AGN; There are a number of painting styles, e.g. realism, abstract, impressionism, surrealism etc.

Which style do you feel is more prevalent in Africa and does it fall within the definitions that have been presented by the West or is there a word or expression you can put forward which better defines what it is from an African context?

AO; In Africa, prevalent painting styles are often rooted in *expressionism* and *symbolism*, where artists use vibrant colors, patterns, and cultural symbols to convey deeper meanings and connect with community narratives. While some African art may align with Western styles like abstraction or impressionism, ours often transcends these definitions.

A term that encapsulates this artistic approach might be *cultural expressionism*, reflecting the emphasis on storytelling, spirituality, and social commentary deeply embedded in African traditions.

AGN; Is there a key difference between your earlier work and what you currently create and if so what is it?

AO; Yes, there is difference between my earlier work and what I create now and the difference is what I call ‘A BABY WALK’, as in a sequential step to growth in life. Every day new discoveries are made, and new steps taken in advancing my artistic journey.

More maturity is involved now. The more we look, the more we see. The car engine, motherboard of a computer, and so on have taught me great lessons and are some of the things that have inspired my recent works where different components perform different functions and come together to achieve a goal.

When the CPU of a computer receives instructions, it directs them to other components, the hidden process of that interaction are the cracks you see in my paintings. I see them as dancing cracks that navigate the challenges of life. It means our beauty lies in the daily challenges we face and conquer. My work enjoins us to celebrate our challenges. In this sense, I see my paintings as the ‘Motherboard’ of my stories.

AGN; What has been the most rewarding experience of your career to date?

AO; Every step I take is rewarding, the group exhibitions, the awards won, but the most rewarding experience was when I won the ‘Next of Kin’ art competition series 4 in 2022 which was organised by Thought Pyramid Art Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. That award led to my first artist’s residency and my debut solo exhibition that happened in July of this year.

AGN; When do you decide that a piece has been completed?

AO; When my heart, soul and mind are pleased with it. At that point I stop and sign it.

AGN; To what extent has exposure to other cultures influenced your art and which culture other than you own have you drawn the most inspiration from?

AO; I believe in myself, I believe in my originality, and I believe in my origin. One of the things you can’t give yourself in life are the parents that birthed you. I found myself under the umbrella of my parents to date; I know not how it happened.

If I were to be an Oyinbo (White) man, I wouldn’t likely be found in Africa. Finding myself in Nigeria is a great message to me. I know that origin determines one’s originality. Any river that forgets its source will definitely run dry. I learn from other cultures but I draw inspiration mostly from my own.

I feel that you can tell a story better if you are part of the story. My environment is my greatest source of inspiration.

AGN; Is ‘creative block’ something you experience and if so what do you do to covercome it?

AO; Yes I do experience it but whenever it happens I know that I must take a break for 2 to 3 weeks.

AGN; Is there a technique you have developed or an existing one you mostly employ during your creative process?

AO; Yes, the technique I discovered utilises cracks and is named, ÒHO. This means shedding the old for new through a transformative process.

AGN; Do you feel you have a responsibility to create a positive impact through your art and if so, how do you actualise this?

AO; Most people seek happiness but when challenges occur, they can obstruct our view and prevent us from seeing the beauty in life. I use my art to portray the upside to life by documenting happy people.

As an artist I also seek to unite, project love and restore peace to my community and to the world at large. I see it as my responsibility to impact knowledge to upcoming generations for societal growth.

AGN; Generating income is a necessary part of a professional artist’s life. How do you balance creativity with the business side of being an artist?

AO; Creativity and the business side of being an artist… hmmm, I would say it’s a 2 in 1 thing. Being creative alone is a big job and the business side too is a big job.

One does affect the other but if one tries to do both together to the same degree it can be limiting. That’s why I work with art dealers, art marketers and so on in order for me to be mostly focused creating.

AGN; Has pricing your art become easier as time goes by or is it something you still struggle with or perhaps leave for others to do on your behalf?

AO; Pricing has become easier as I have gained more experience about what it takes to be an artist. Struggling with pricing ended for me in 2019.

AGN; To what extent has social media played a role for you?

AO; Social media is a plus for today’s artist. It has played a great role for me; enabling people to see my work all over the world. It has helped me a lot and continues to do so.

AGN; To what extent has social media played a role for you?

AO; Social media is a plus for today’s artist. It has played a great role for me; enabling people to see my work all over the world. It has helped me a lot and continues to do so.

AGN; How supportive and receptive were your family regarding your pursuit to become an artist and subsquently deciding to create art for a living?

AO; At my first my mom was against it because she was ignorant about the arts and what being an artist is about until she later understood. For the most part, both my parents have been supportive in the little way they can for me to pursue my career. I love them so much.

AGN; Has your upbringing influenced what you mostly wish to portray through your work?

AO; Yes, my upbringing has deeply influenced my work culturally and traditionally. When you are so much used to something, automatically that thing becomes you.

AGN; Is there a family member, friend or other person that has been pivotal in helping you become a professional artist and if so, what can you tell us about them?

AO; Saheed Adelakun is a Nigerian artist who paints on ropes. He is an artist who has greatly impacted me morally, and financially. Believing in me, supporting me from the beginning of my artistic career in 2006 till now. He is my number one mentor and role model.

Aside from my parents and siblings, there are many people who have contributed positively to my career, people like Ismaila Adegboyega, Dr. Odun Orimolade, Dr. Bille Otonye, Prof. Akintomide, Dr. Abokede, Abiodun Olaku, Duke Asidere and many more…

AGN; What do you enjoy doing in order to take time out and to recharge your batteries?

AO; I love visiting other artists studios, art galleries, museums, reading and discovering new things.

AGN; What type of music do you mostly enjoy listening to?

AO; I listen to many types of music but mostly enjoy my native music such as Juju, Apala, and other local styles from my country.

AGN; In addition to art, what else did you consider doing for a living?

AO; I have never had any alternative plans, i.e. no plan B. After Art it was still Art that I had set my sights on.

AGN; In terms of those who know you very well, what type of person do they mostly say you are?

AO; Friendly, gentle, humble, respectful. A person who is straightforward and doesn’t like cheating. A person eager to learn new things but a no nonsense type of man.

AGN; Is there anything else you would like to add?

AO; The most beautiful things in this world are knowing who you are and working out what you want. There is a price for discovery and a greater price for pursuing and staying the course.

With consistency, resilience, perseverance, and sacrifice, one will definitely get to the top.

Previous ‘Arts View’ features are available here; archive

Editor:
Ri Iyovwaye

on behalf of African Global Networks (AGN) – Dec 2024