ARTIST STATEMENT

My work began as inspiration from the novel, Things Fall Apart, which chronicles the experience of British colonization of Nigeria through the perspective of one Nigerian man. The events in this novel inspired me to explore the intersection between religion, fantasy, and black culture. Several chapters in the novel describe in vivid detail a religious masquerade which often took place in post-colonial Nigeria; using the details described in this novel and my own imagination, I created my own vision of the gods and spirits within my work.

            Recently I've shifted my focus to create work that better reflects my everyday experiences living in America. Surrounded more by African American culture than Nigerian culture, I sought to make work that celebrates the beauty I see in this culture while also interjecting my own humorous perspective as a  semi-outsider. Taking inspiration from artists like Hank Willis Thomas, I created sculptures that combine elements of African American fashion, hip hop music, and pop culture in such a way to make us critically reflect on how we examine these subjects.