Making it in Rele art world

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Rele Arts Gallery, one of Nigeria’s biggest galleries, has released the names of its 2023 cohort for the eighth edition of the Young Contemporaries programme, through the Rele Arts Foundation. 

“The Young Contemporaries 2023 project presents the audience with a collection of distinct and exciting perspectives on contemporary issues while also drawing attention to the exciting and critical work being done by a younger generation of contemporary African artists,” it said. 

Previous beneficiaries of the programme include David “Kaydee” Otaru and Marcellina Akpojotor, Chidinma Nnoli and Racheal Seidu, among others. 

This year’s beneficiaries are Adeniyi Adewole, Adetutu Adediran, Hanson Okere, Yoma Emore, Seidougha “Mr Danfo” Linus Eyimiegha, Elfreda Fakoya and Tosobuafo “Tofo” Matilda Bardi, all working with various media that play a significant role in their art.

The Mail & Guardian caught up with six of the new residents to find out more about their work, and what being selected for the foundation’s programme means for them.

Hanson Okere

For Okere, art is an interpretation of oneself, and the ways he uses different media tell stories of his own experiences and how he externally relates with the world. Since 2014, Okere has explored various options on artistry including painting, drawing and sculpting. He found his bearing with pyrography, a form of art that involves using fire. He mainly uses wood, fire and razor blades to create mind-blowing art.

“The Rele Arts Foundation guided and mentored me into finding my path as an artist, in terms of creating the kind of work I make,” he says. 

“The programme helped in a way that it was very easy for me to connect with myself. They had a lot of things set up for every participant, including funding and mentorships. From the boot camp till the end, the things we discussed were things that broadened my ideas as an artist, and I’m very grateful for that.

“One thing I would advise everyone out there, is to be very honest with themselves in terms of the kind of work they create, and what they work on as an artist. They have to connect with whatever work they’re doing. It becomes easy when they’re being mentored by the curators and the Rele Arts team. Being very honest with themselves is definitely one thing I’ll advise them on.”

Yoma Emore

Emore’s work is textile based, but with a digital angle. She describes her art as narrative but with a conceptual form, and ties it in with her love for storytelling. An MA graduate from the Chelsea College of Arts, the artist taps into her African heritage to tell stories about pan-Africanism, through fabric manipulations, texts and repeated patterns or motifs.

“As an emerging artist, I’ll say getting into the programme is a huge opportunity. It’s a way to learn from people with more experience within the arts industry, as well as an opportunity to push and challenge yourself creatively, and get rid of complacency as an artist,” Emore says. 

“You know, art is a practice, so you need to keep working at it and stretching your ideas and materials, opening yourself up to new ideas and new ways of making things. 

“I initially applied as a digital artist. However, throughout the course of the programme, I was challenged to see my digital works differently. They became sketches that informed my final work — the textile pieces.

“This is just the starting point; it’s just the beginning. I’ve got 

so many exciting stories to tell, which I’m excited to crack on with. I’ve got materials to explore that 

I’m excited to express. 

“Being a Young Contemporary has given me a platform, which I now need to use wisely to create a space for being the artist I’ve always wanted to be. You have to be authentic. You have to create from a place of truth, from a place of honesty, from a place of vulnerability, and from a place of conversation between you and the work. You have to learn to question yourself as an artist, and ask yourself why you create the kind of work that you do. Ultimately, you need to have a story to tell.”

Tofo Bardi

University of Benin alumna Tofo Bardi says her works are an exploration of liminal space — mostly those spaces occupied by human consciousness, including negative patterns and existential crises. Although she started off using charcoal for her art, she’s grown into using other media like paints on primed canvases, oils, acrylic and others. 

“My time at the Rele Arts Foundation was an opportunity to get to know other artists, and also find out how other people are working on their narratives and subject matter. I wanted to gain a certain stance and understand what I was doing. We had very constructive criticism on our work, and that was very important for me. It was a great learning space. I wanted a lot of help in understanding my work and what it was about. I’ve achieved things like the confidence in applying things into my canvas. It helped me in being able to visualise my inner voice and my authentic self.”

Adetutu Adediran

Adediran is a Nigerian photographer who describes her work as conceptual photography. After experimenting with self-portraits with black-and-white backgrounds, the artist has grown to using colours to further express herself and her art. She’s found herself using her works to discuss cultural issues such as identity, migration and womanhood.

“Getting into the Rele Arts Foundation addresses the functions of access. It is very important because the foundation acts like a bridge between young artists and the art world. Apart from even getting the exposure, it gives you a wealth of knowledge from different artists. 

“Being a Young Contemporary makes you think critically about your work, and you get feedback from people who have gone ahead of you in the industry, as well as your peers and contemporaries,” she adds.

“Being a part of this has made me learn more about what I do and why I do it. Initially it was more about experimenting, but when I got into the programme, it occurred to me that my art has a purpose. 

“What I’m hoping to get from this is to continue what I’ve learnt at the foundation, part of which is researching and knowing yourself in the art world.”

‘Mr Danfo’ Eyimiegha

Popularly known as Mr Danfo, Eyimiegha’s art documents his personal experiences and stories. Through his art, he seeks to make a difference and tell the stories of his home city, Lagos — hence, his references to typical scenes and elements in Lagos, like the Danfo (a large public bus used to convert people, usually painted with yellow and black colours). He also uses his art to tell how the urban culture of the city has evolved and the loss of the country’s history during colonialism. 

“I hope that while I get my works out through the foundation, more galleries that I am interested in will find me and want to work with me. I am looking forward to growth in my career after completing this programme,” Mr Danfo says. 

“Being part of the Young Contemporaries is quite a long process, as it started from the boot camp to residency, then the final selection for the exhibition. 

“Having a strong body of work that can be stretched is really helpful. And for artists looking to apply, I’ll advise that they work coherently on their subject matter, and not just different things in one portfolio. 

“Artists should be unique to their story. The more personal the subject matter is, the easier it is to expand the subject of your artistic creation.”

Adeniyi Adewole

Adewole’s art is sculptural. Although he started off as a painter, his art is drawn from the past and present culture of his Yoruba heritage, while using modern materials such as fibreglass, bonded aluminium and its shavings sourced from an aluminium mining village to tell intricate stories.

He says of his time at the foundation: “The mentorship and training helps artists channel their careers in ways that’ll be favourable. Before I was selected as part of the Young Contemporaries, a lot of training was done, which I found helpful. They gave us things to learn through research and being environmentally conscious. In different ways, the programme has helped us as artists. For example, the amount of research I now put into my work is more focused than before the programme.

“I’ll advise entrants to create works that are different from the works of others. They should be unique, and not be those that follow trends. They should be original in terms of stories they are trying to portray. Authenticity also matters.”