An Art Meets Design Exhibition
The Unexpected Canvas
Overview
In an era where the lines between disciplines are increasingly blurred, "The Unexpected Canvas" invites viewers to explore the dynamic interplay between fine art and design through the lens of non-conventional forms and collectible objects. This exhibition brings together a diverse group of artists and designers who challenge traditional boundaries, redefining what it means to create and experience art in our everyday lives.
At the heart of "The Unexpected Canvas" lies the core concept of transformation. We present works that not only captivate the eye but also engage the mind, inviting visitors to interact with the pieces in meaningful ways. Through the themes of Interactivity & Engagement, Materiality & Craftsmanship, Reimagined Function, Fluid Identities, and Boundary-Crossing, we encourage a dialogue that transcends conventional categorizations.
Interactivity & Engagement is a vital theme, as many featured works invite direct participation, allowing viewers to become active co-creators in the experience. This interactivity fosters a deeper connection between the audience and the pieces, transforming passive observation into an immersive dialogue.
Materiality & Craftsmanship are celebrated throughout the exhibition, showcasing the innovative use of materials that challenge preconceived notions of both art and design. By highlighting the skill and creativity required to manipulate diverse materials, we honor the craftsmanship that underpins each unique creation.
The theme of Reimagined Function further explores how everyday objects can be transformed into extraordinary pieces of art. By rethinking the utility of furniture and design, the artists elevate functional items into statements of beauty and introspection, encouraging viewers to see the potential for artistry in the mundane.
Fluid Identities and Boundary-Crossing are central to our exploration of what constitutes art and design. The exhibition highlights works that defy traditional classifications, blending elements of sculpture, installation, and functional design. This fluidity invites us to reconsider our definitions and embrace a more inclusive understanding of creative expression.
"The Unexpected Canvas" aims to provoke thought, inspire creativity, and invite dialogue. By showcasing the works of these innovative artists and designers, we hope to encourage visitors to engage with their surroundings in new and imaginative ways, recognizing that the canvas of creativity is limitless and ever-evolving.
We invite you to explore this vibrant intersection of art and design, and to discover the unexpected beauty that arises when boundaries are transcended. Welcome to "The Unexpected Canvas."
LOCATION
BoConcept Lagos,
22 Adetokunbo Ademola Street,
Victoria Island, Lagos
FEATURED ARTISTS
Omolade Ogundimu
Josh Egesi
Iniobong Usoro
Temitope El Shabazz
Mngohol Ngunan Bur
Agbalaya Opeyemi
Ozuma Patrick
Jesudara Hinmikaiye
Solomon Osinloye
EXHIBITION DATES
29 SEPTEMBER – 26 OCTOBER 2024
Exhibiting Artists
Jesudara Hinmikaiye
BIO
Jesudara Hinmikaiye (b. 2002) is a Nigerian textile designer and visual artist based in Lagos where she studies at the University of Lagos for a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts.
Dara’s love for storytelling, colors, and nature fuel her art practice. Her current interest lies in finding connections between natural fibers, its end-use, history and its intrinsic value to people at present. This has led her to explore various materials and techniques, to approach human experiences (past and present) with fiber and their environment.
She explored these themes during her student exchange program to HFBK, Hamburg, Germany.
Solomon Osinloye, Deile.
BIO
Solomon Osinloye is a Lagos-based multidisciplinary designer and creative director at Deile Studio. He studied Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Benin, majoring in Painting. With extensive experience in graphic design, Solomon bridges the open-ended nature of art with the precision of visual communication in his work. He is a three-point pendulum, swinging through industrial, graphic, and spatial experience design. With a keen sense of context and a commitment to meaning, he is articulating narratives through visual language.
Guided by the belief that "thoughtful questions lead to profound answers, and the best answers inspire more questions," Solomon’s work exists as a dialogue—questions, responses, and thought-provoking talking points, exploring different mediums as a visible vocabulary for expressing experiences. Applied as visual poetry, his works invite interaction, leveraging the unique accents and tones that materials lend to his perspective.
Omolade Ogundimu
BIO
Omolade Ogundimu is a fiber Artist from Lagos, Nigeria. Having spent the majority of her time in interior design, she discovered rug-making with the modern method of tufting. For her, tufting became not just a skill - but a bonding experience.
She developed her love for the medium due to the nurturing nature it requires as it was a reflection of her persona. She believes that there is an undeniable connection between the human experience and the very fibers she works with. She transforms strands of yarn into fiber fluffs to form different images that reflect her mental state at the time of creation.
Through her artworks, we are invited to explore the essence of existence, find guidance, and even embrace the uncertainty thereof. As such, she aims to provide a safe haven for introspection of the human mind. Her works are often influenced by personal experiences, and natural phenomena depicted through abstract visualizations.
Josh Egesi
BIO
Josh Egesi is a visionary designer and artist who has made a significant impact in the art and design world. He is renowned for his unique approach, which combines traditional techniques with innovative and cutting-edge methods to create thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating art pieces. Josh's work is deeply rooted in his Nigerian heritage, and he draws inspiration from his cultural background, extensive research, and immersive experiences.
Through his art, Josh captures the essence of diverse cultures and preserves their heritage, making his work a valuable contribution to the global art landscape. His pieces are not only visually stunning but also intellectually engaging, sparking meaningful dialogue and inspiring new perspectives.
Temitope El-shabazz
BIO
Temitope El-shabazz is a furniture and functional art designer based in Lagos, Nigeria. As a passionate designer with a keen interest in sustainable design, Temitope’s design philosophy combines functionality with aesthetic inspiration, focusing on innovative materials and experimentation to create artistic, functional objects with a mix of home decor and fashion.
I became intrigued by designs and how they influence people at an early age, which fueled my interest in design. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for unique designs, I have been commercially active in the design industry for the past 8 years, co-founding Heph Design 5 years ago. I'm inspired by a fusion of African architecture,modernism, brutalism, colors, and "play" as they play an effective role in human psychology. My designs, as represented at Heph, are both functional and artistic, reflecting my deep appreciation for form, texture, and balance while also sparking intriguing dialogue between an object and people for positive and sentimental impact.
Mngohol Ngunan Bur
BIO
Mngohol Ngunan Bur, a self taught artist based in Lagos, Nigeria began her journey from childhood where she was inspired by her father, a writer and an art collector and her mother a craft woman From Benue state, Nigeria. Feeling the urge to draw whenever she had a pen, pencil and paper, she would doodle things she saw in real life and her imagination.
After her bachelors degree in psychology, she realized her calling to be an artist as she found deep satisfaction creating. She began drawing people for free exploring media like graphite pencil, charcoal pencil, pen and oil and chalk pastel, not long after she started taking commissions for portrait drawings.
She went through a 3 months mentorship with an established painter who studied fine arts in A.B.U Zaria where she learned the basics of drawing and painting with gouache, oil and acrylic paint which strengthen her use of color, he also thought her how to find her artistic voice.
Ozuma Patrick
BIO
Ozuma Patrick Chidiebube is a contemporary Nigerian visual artist and environmental advocate using Art to raise awareness on “tech-centricism”. He employ imageries of cyberpunk figures to portray the over attachment of humans to latest technologies.
The Artist works predominantly with electronic waste materials to represent the psychological relationship between coding and human behavior. He brings together fragment of waste computer keyboards and allied parts to form his sculptures. This analogy centres on the importance of coming together of bodies in unity to make the society work.
His body of work advocates unity, an euphoria built in acceptance and love. He has a major interest in the contemporary understanding of socially shaped 'unconscious behaviours'. He believes that the success of the human community is solely dependent on the development of every individual according to a preferred formular of adaptation with the goal to create a unique self and strengthen unity and collaboration.
Iniobong Usoro
BIO
Iniobong Usoro has always been drawn to nature and anything that transformed his perception of the mundane, from his childhood. Creating art has always been a part of his development, and he spent more time making drawings than the average child.
The artist primarily worked with pen and pencil. He practiced digital art for some time and then began creating portraits and figure paintings using acrylic and oil paints. The development of his art practice has always been the result of his constant exploration. During this development, he felt the need to create art from his imagination, so he began studying figure drawing and color theory. He discovered that the human body could be expressed in threedimensional shapes. This was largely influenced by his architectural background, as well as other influences from artists.
Iniobong Usoro has been creating artwork using three-dimensional shapes, elements of architecture, and landscapes to explore human complexities and interactions. His artwork means whatever it means to you. He sees himself as a vessel of creativity.
Agbalaya Opeyemi
BIO
Agbalaya Abdulahi Opeyemi is a versatile artist , he is born on 09 April 2001 in Lagos state Nigeria , he attended Yaba tech college of technology also graduated in year 2023 . He had his first training experience with mr owolabi Samson in 2013 to enhance his art skills . He is currently acquiring more knowledge in the world of art with Akinola Taoheed olaitan . he pursues art as an hobby and a potential career.
“The desire and ability to creatively express emotions and pass out messages through Art is the definition of a creative genius. Without doubt, I consider myself as one of the creative geniuses of this generation who paints words into expression, explains the simplicity and complexity of life through artwork, and gives hope to people out there through shapes and colours. Painting life in its different dimensions is the calling that gives me spirals of joy.”
EXHIBITION PHOTOS
ARTWORKS
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