The artist's first solo exhibition in London is a vital milestone in her inventive journey.
AFTER solo outings in Lagos and Los Angeles, Obafemi Awolowo College, Ile-Ife educated artist Marcellina Akpojotor is prepared for her first solo exhibition in the UK.
'Pleasure of extra Worlds' shall be on show on the Rele Gallery, Dover Road, London from Thursday 11 April to 18 Might 2024. It opens on the night of April 11 at 6 p.m., with an artist walkthrough out there for Patrons.
The exhibition, accompanied by a monograph co-published by Rele Gallery and Skira, continues Akpojotor's exploration of generational legacies and the evolving nature of archives. Constructing on analysis into her maternal bloodline, this new physique of labor traces a timeline of household life that connects and captures the spirit of up to date African ladies, exploring feminine empowerment and the position of motherhood in society.
The big-scale work are densely constructed with the Ankara material to subtly depict intimate celebrations of recollections. The brand new works additionally delve into the home sphere and embrace snapshots of every day life within the artist's residence, starting from playful moments to tender intimacy.
Primarily based on photographic supply materials, her work blur the road between goal documentary and private expertise. Every composition serves as a poignant testomony to the great thing about the on a regular basis, providing viewers a glimpse into personal areas and tales of childhood and neighborhood.
Akpojotor was first launched to visible arts by her father, who labored as an indication maker and later studied artwork and industrial design at Lagos State Polytechnic. She painstakingly transforms the Ankara material into an summary language on canvas, bridging the hole between the previous and the modern.
The fabric, which is worn every day in Nigeria, serves as a cultural signifier and a channel for reminiscence. The selection to make use of fragments from Ankara, a strong marker of African identification, speaks to her perception within the medium of canvas for telling personal household histories.
The work, together with the textile collage, not solely create a powerful visible impression in opposition to the paint, however, extra importantly, operate as an important component in Akpojotor's technique to problem the visible language and pay tribute to the legacy of influential folks in her life.
She defined: “In my inventive course of there isn’t any staged association; as a substitute, I seize moments of pleasure and weave textiles, acrylics and different supplies onto the canvas. I create collages that mirror layers of which means and emotion woven into their materials. I need my viewers to delve deeper into the essence of the human expertise.”
She added: “My first solo exhibition in London represents an vital milestone in my inventive journey. It’s not nearly displaying my work, but in addition about sharing my story, tradition and imaginative and prescient as an artist.”
Recognized for her compelling exploration of femininity, cultural identification and empowerment by way of her vibrant and layered collage artworks, Akpojotor held her first solo exhibition, 'She Was Not Dreaming', at Rele Gallery, Lagos, in 2018. Her second solo exhibition, ' Daughters of Esan: The Alpha Era” came about in 2021 on the Rele Gallery in Los Angeles.
She has participated in group exhibitions in Europe, the Center East, Africa and america. She participated in “The Flower Present' (2023), LA Louvre Gallery, Los Angeles; 'Venture Genesis. Artwork and Human Rights,” (2023)Milan Triennale, Milan, Italy. She has additionally appeared at outstanding artwork gala’s worldwide, together with a solo sales space at Artwork Basel Miami Seaside (2021), Artwork Dubai (2020), LA Artwork Present (2020) and the FNB Artwork Joburg (2019).
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