Jumoke Sanwo is an Artist out of Lagos, she uses Photography, Text and Video-Art as her means of expression. A graduate of English Studies from the Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, She continues to push the envelope with her unique take on the lifestyle of Africans with projects that celebrate the rich cultural diversity within the continent. Her works addresses aesthetic concerns as well as concerns on identity and mobility. In 2011 she embarked on a historic road trip from Lagos to Addis Ababa as part of the Invisible Borders Trans African Photography Project. With this project she explored the concept of borders and barriers within the Continent, challenging the limitations of free movement and trade.
Describe the art people should see at RAI?
The Revolving Art Incubator is a place set aside for artist to share ideas experiment and engage through art projects, performances, talks, and exhibitions with the aim of creating a platform that encourages creativity and exchange. It is a unique opportunity to create works using the Incubator as a canvass which encourages other possibilities of engaging a public space while showcasing art in the city of Lagos. The initiative is a partnership between the Silverbird group and the artist Jumoke Sanwo the partnership has set the pace for subsequent art intervention in public space all across the country .
Art always appeals to people differently. Can you describe your favorite art in the exhibit and why?
My Favourite Piece is the collaborative piece by David Akinola and Chima Enwezor
Title: From Last Night
50” x 69 “
Oil,Oilbars,Paintmarkers on Canvas
2016
What challenges did you go through before this success?
My first challenge was in transforming a fire exit into an alternative art space. This has never been done especially in the city of Lagos. We had limited time as well as resources to pull this through but I am most certainly happy at the outcome. The second challenge was to pull together artist who could work and collaborate together. I must say I was lucky with the artists that participated in the Inaugural edition especially the dedication and passion displayed all through the one month process. We are preparing to usher in the artists for November 2016. Our theme for November is " Visual Representation Past and Present" and it is a look on the role photography has played on our identity as Nigerians. We hope that all enthusiasts and photographers will join us on the 16th of November at 2pm when we will start with the artists talk and formal presentation of artists participating in November.
Where there artistic conflicts between you and other artists?
There were conflicts no doubt... This is part of the process, the incubator challenges how an artists operate, with change comes a little resistance, this challenge on the statuesque is to allow them function better as creatives. Creatives can no longer operate in isolation. They must take their rightful place in the society and this is what we are trying to do at the Incubator.
What do you want people to know before/after visiting RAI?
Revolving Art Incubator through collaboration and engagement, invite artists to participate at the incubator on an alternate month rotation basis. The featured artist of the month (Artist at Work) will engage the space using the Incubator as a canvas, creating works freely, engaging the space with other guest artists during this month long process, The Artist(s) at work will be fully involved in the process leading to the joint exhibition which would feature the artists existing works using the works created at the Incubator as a backdrop + works from up to 3 other guest artists, who would be interacting with the Artist at Work at “THE INCUBATOR”.
Artist engaging the incubator will serve as a visual interventionist within a public space. The emphasis at the incubator is on freedom of artistic expression; it is a unique opportunity for artists to be expressive without limitations in an alternate art space such as the Galleria, more importantly the participating artist will use the experimentation process while at the incubator to further their ideas on creativity. The artist + the Guest artist will be showcased in an exhibit at the end of the process.
The idea of “THE INCUBATOR” was borne out of the need to evolve art and the creative process, beyond its current status in Nigeria and to give artists the opportunity to have full artistic license devoid of pressures of commercial viability in a space that is without boundaries or limitation encouraging them to work and partner with other artists in their process, while experimenting with materials, concepts and forms beyond the confines of art in a bid to transcend art into other spheres in Nigeria.
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