On June 10, 2022, the Nigerian visual art circle and the larger creative industry landscape will be witnessing an enthralling show of creative ingenuity.
That day, art lovers, art collectors, galleries, fashion enthusiasts and lovers of creativity will gather at Eko Atlantic Lagos to see ‘106 Expressions’, a solo exhibition by Olubukola Bolarinde, an extraordinarily gifted hand.
The guests will also be there to cheer up Olubukola Bolarinde for being multidisciplinary, and for challenging the status quo in the contemporary visual art sector and still ranking among the tops, yet without receiving a formal training in visual art.
Yes, the amiable lady is a self-taught artist, which speaks volumes for her talent and creative juices.
For those meeting her for the first time, the artist is the CEO of Yellow Dot Limited, a leading creative curation/production company, while the solo exhibition is riding on the success of many creative outputs, especially ‘Onidiri’, Bolarinde’s critically acclaimed film, which was released in 2018.
Offering details of the forthcoming exhibition at a media parley heralding the show, which held in Victoria Island, Lagos, recently, Bolarinde, a trained architect, notes that 106 Expressions in being presented by Yellow Dot Limited and will be curated by Nike Okundaye, founder of Nike Art Gallery, who is a prominent culture custodian.
As the name implies, about 106 works will be on display at the exhibition comprising 86 pieces of works done in different media.
The exhibition will also feature fashion where two fashion designers will be showing two collections with 10 pieces of works from each, adding to the total 106 works at the exhibition.
As well, there is going to be an immersion experience for the guests, amid a first-of-its-kind display in an uncompleted building.
Though the exhibition is going to be a one-day event, it continues on Yellow Dot’s virtual platform after the day’s excitement.
Bolarinde’s technique is also interesting as she deployed various media such as acrylics and oils on canvas; the use of rich textures to create pieces that give an illusion of being tactile and three-dimensional. Apart from that, she hopes to deliver an immersive experience for viewers.
Speaking on the rationale for visiting to see the exhibition, the artist, said while she has been in the visual art scene since 2012, doing private paintings, ‘106 Expressions’ is her first solo, featuring collection of works she has been working on in the last two years, hence it promises an exciting experience for all.
As well, the exhibition will be an intimate display of Bolarinde’s artworks inspired by her experiences from childhood that traverse time and culture.
“106 Expressions is a collection of artworks celebrating our African heritage; our people, and our culture. I have drawn inspiration from my experiences as an African child. The works transport you to a place and a time, perceived through an African child’s mind. A different time from the times we now live in. As our world continues to evolve, a great number of our children have not and will never have these experiences,” explained Bolarinde.
Offering more reasons to see the exhibition, the self-taught artist and architect, described her art as a form of preservation. She also noted that as a storyteller.
“I am a storyteller, a creative. My artworks are stories. Every piece carries its own unique message and tells you a different story; transporting you into a place, time, scene, experience, or emotion”, she said in her artist’s statement.
“My art is inspired by stories around me. Stories I have experienced first-hand, stories I have been told. Art is a means of self expression. Art is life. My art is a means through which I connect with its audience”.
Bringing the preservation and storytelling angles to bear in the exhibition, she used the works to document her people and culture.
“The exhibition is a documentary about my people, my culture, and my land. It is a distinct fusion of the North and the South, which speaks to and holds true to my identity and diversity”, she disclosed.
Moreover, trailing her journey in visual art, Bolarinde is naturally drawn to art in all its forms of expression, and has always evinced a passion at an early age. This was demonstrated through her pencil drawings.
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Born in Lagos and the second of five children from her parents, her formative years were in the northern part of Nigeria; from Jos to Kaduna and then Zaria. This helped in establishing her unique sense of identity and diversity.
She left Nigeria for the United Kingdom where she studied Architecture (she gained admission into The School of Architecture, solely on the strength of her art portfolio) and later obtained a Master’s Degree in Environmental Design and Engineering from the prestigious Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (UCL).
After qualifying as an Architect, she returned to Nigeria and went on to have a most successful professional career spanning over 25 years; with more than 20 years in key leadership positions across the banking, oil and gas, and telecommunications sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Today, she wears many hats in the creative industry that describes her as a unique storyteller of her time. As a writer, her descriptive prowess as a storyteller is translated through her art.
With all these going for her, she invites you to Eko Atlantic Lagos on June 10, 2022 to visit and experience visual art beyond the ordinary with 106 Expressions.
