Adidas, the global sports fashion giant, has gone beyond fashion to become a home for creative expression as it recently unveiled Gbolahan Ayoola’s Bluewoman in its flagship store in Lagos.
The installation of the Bluewoman aligns with the sports fashion giant’s commitment to local culture, community, and innovation.
Also, the display of Bluewoman in its Lagos store, is the first time in Adidas’ history, its store in Africa is not only known as a place to buy fashion items but also a place of full creative expression that stimulates the mind and spirit.
The Bluewoman, deliberately stationed at the Adidas store’s female section, represents a woman’s true strength and enigmatic values.
Unveiled amid the horde of guests from different corners of commerce and social life, like Adebola Williams and Lola Ogunnaike, a Nigerian CNN anchor.
They spectated gleefully as ribbons were cut to unveil a new branch of this sports store, taking in the sights of some of the marquee Adidas products on display as well as some standout features of the space especially the Bluewoman painting.
“Bluewoman goes beyond a person; it connotes an identity and energy best depicted as value, true power – what it means to be a human before a female,” said Ayoola, Nigeria’s contemporary painter and sculptor.
Giving insight into the inspiration behind the painting of the Bluewoman, Ayoola said the idea came from his dream.
Explaining further his motivation for painting the work in 2012, he said, “I don’t paint the Bluewoman because I see her as an object; I paint her because she wants me to. This work serves as a beacon that every woman should behold in achieving greatness in their own way.”
Ayoola added that it was that unforgettable experience that inspired him to create the artwork and use it to encourage women to embrace their true virtues.
Artworks from the Gbolahan Ayoola’s collection have also been featured in a series of notable shows such as Ava Duvernay’s ‘When They See Us,’ and ‘Harlem,’ starring Meagan Good currently showing on Amazon Prime Video, and ‘Hit and Run,’ all BIPOC-lead films, in one of which the Bluewoman was used to symbolize the strength of a woman’s impact in defining moments.
Ayoola’s impressive collection also includes notable artworks such as ‘We Are Reagents’. The painter’s upcoming art exhibition is scheduled for July 2023 in Lagos in collaboration with the Ubuntu Project, followed by shows in London in October 2023.
The European events offer a unique opportunity to admire Ayoola’s captivating Bluewoman series and other remarkable works.
The Ubuntu Project exhibition aims to make art more accessible by presenting miniature artworks at affordable prices, catering to individuals who are not yet able to collect larger pieces.
