Ekpiri Series
culled from imodara:
"the first time I saw ekpiri seeds was during the Ofala festival in Onitsha. Dancers and performers would use them as percussion instruments during the annual celebrations. I’ve always loved the art of joining one thing to another or of creating something new from objects that had a different function or purpose. The vision for my latest series is to take something small—the ekpiri seed pods —and create a piece that’s over 8 feet tall. It’s an ongoing investigation into the connection between culture and visual art. How Igbo traditional musical instruments fit into my artistic conversation." - Adeniyi Olagunju February, 2017
Olagunju’s new works, made from the pods of Ekpiri seeds. These pods are typically strung together as beads to create anklets worn in Igbo dance. Stringing these seeds together in rows, the artist either paints or gilds them in various precious and semiprecious metal leaves to conceal the earth tones of the objects. Minimalist invocations of dynamic subjects, the works in this series demonstrate Olagunju’s interest in reconfiguring historicized matter.
2019
KUBATANA, An Exhibition with Contemporary African Artists
| Vestfossen Kunstlabratorium
| Texts by Osei Bonsu, Nic Cheeseman, Kirstin Jjellegjerde, Lars-Andreas T. Kristiansen and more
Read More >>
May 2019
Scan Magazine, Issue 124, May 2019 by Scan Group
| Scan Group
| Ingrid Opstad
June 2019
KUBATANA
| Art Africa
| Kristin Hjellegjerde interviewed by Brendan Bell-Roberts
Read More >>
May 12, 2022
Collector Spotlight - Serge Tiroche, Israel
| ÌMỌ̀ DÁRA
| Adenike Cosgrove
Read More >>
