Multimedia Artist and Guinness World Record Achiever Yusuf Durodola, Exhibiting at Artmiabo International Art Festival, Lagos 2022
Yusuf Durodola is a what we call a quintessential artist, one who has created for himself a quality of Art that defines who he is as an artist.
He is a painter, a performance artist, sculptor, graphic artist and curator.
Also he is an Artist who is concerned about waste objects and a sustainable way it can be repurposed into Art.
He uses artistic and creative ways to interpret his point of view with discarded objects into Art, are the reasons we are thrilled to have Yusuf exhibit at the Artmiabo International Art Festival AMIAF
ARTIST STATEMENT
As a multimedia communicator and dynamic artist, my interest lies in my ability to infuse different art forms into my performance, thus projecting issues that surround human existence while also exploring issues bordering on environmental pollution, echo system, socio-political imbalance, festivities, culture, and sensitization.
My practice seeks to engage and spur minds towards a state of consciousness. I employ African symbols and draw inspiration from Yoruba cosmology (language, philosophy, adages, oral tradition, and moral expression).
These include the culture of my immediate environment, oftentimes projected through different art forms. Based on my belief that art has a strong connection to our sustainability, I use my body as a mobile object in public spaces to bring the healing power of art to the consciousness of the populace.
My penchant for pattern construction and drawing plays a prominent role in the creative process of my performances often generated from both secular and sacred objects.
My work serves as a requisite to stimulating discourses on our political and social challenges that jeopardize our collective reality. It also serves as the voice of the voiceless within the community.
Artist Profile:
Yusuf Durodola is a multidisciplinary Nigerian artist born in 1979 at Ibadan, Oyo State.
He obtained a Nigeria Certificate in Education from the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos, majored in Painting and Graphics.
He proceeded to the University of Lagos where he obtained his degree in Visual Arts and an MFA research student at the University of Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
Yusuf, is a prolific and versatile artist whose genre of work blurs the boundaries of painting, recycling and up-cycle, and performance/video/photography art.
His recycling practice focuses on the materials that threaten environmental sustainability and channel it to address the issue of infrastructural decline, waste management, environmental pollution, echo system, and sensitization.
Exhibitions and Awards
He has participated in over 40 group art exhibitions, 2 solo exhibitions, residency programmes, workshops, seminars, performances and won several awards to his credit.
-Awards include:
-1st prize at National Award, Federal Ministry of Education Arts Competition
- 1st prize at Logo Design Competition - CONADEV,
-1st International Convention on Art and Development, Society of Nigerian Artists.
-Stamp Design Competition- South Africa World Cup 2010 and Nigeria at 50 - NIPOST.
-He is a Guinness World Record Achiever (Largest Painting by Number) for Ecole de dessin, Lagos, Nigeria.
-Art Associations and Events:
He belongs to several art bodies.
-He has served as co-organizer, facilitator, curator/co-curator, resource person, and creative director to several art events such as Grandeur Of Epeland (2016), Yaba School of Art
- 2017 October Rain Exhibition, SNA Lagos
- Ajorin Metal Exhibition (2020),
- Thought Pyramid, Lagos; Chronicle of Confinement: Africa (2020), New York;
-UMNY AMA 2020, India; Trash to Wealth (2020),
- Jelosimi, Lagos; Striding Bodies (2020), New York;
-Lock Unlock (2020), India.
-Media
His works are displayed in local and international private spaces and galleries.
His pieces have been featured in magazines, art books, TV stations, and as well as the book cover. Yusuf is a founder and creative director of Ategun Art Foundation, a platform to impact the creative knowledge and experience into the younger ones and promotion of art.
Exhibitions Include
-SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2019 “PRICELESS” Nike Art Gallery, Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.
2018 “NAVIGATION” ICAF Artist in Residency, Iwaya, Lagos, Nigeria.
-SELECTED PERFORMANCES:
2021 - IBUSO OGOTA - Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
2021 - ATUPA - Lagos Book and Art Festival, Freedom Park, Old Colonial Prison Ground, Lagos
2021 - OLUMOKO – Nike Art Centre, Ogidi-Ijumu, Kogi State.
2021 - AWOLOWO - Iwaya, Lagos, Nigeria.
2020 - ARIN AREMABO - Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria.
2020 - OLOJU OROGBO - with Dotun Popoola - Dot Atelier, Ife, Osun State.
2020 - ABRAKADABRA – Lock Unlock, Glimpses behind Isolation (Webinar), India.
2020 - OGBONOLOGBON - Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria.
2020 - JEKIWONMO - Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria.
2020 - ATUPA - Webinar. (Indian Programme)
2020 - OPAKOPA - Bariga, Lagos, Nigeria.
2020 - OWEWE WEE (COVID-19 edition) - Bariga, Lagos, Nigeria.
2020 - IKUDAYIISI (COVID-19 edition) - Bariga, Lagos, Nigeria.
2020 - KINI OHUN ETUTU (Series) COVID-19 edition - Bariga, Lagos, Nigeria.
2019- MAJELE, When The Load Is Returned To The Owner, The Rest Is The Rest, - Lagos Book and Art Festival, Freedom Park, Old Colonial Prison Ground, Lagos
2019 - EMI, NOT JUST A SOUL - Federal College of Technology, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria.
2019 - ABIYAMO - Nike Art Gallery, Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.
2019 - THE WARNING OF ARE ONA KAKANFO (Protest Performance) - Iwaya, Lagos, Nigeria.
2019 - MYSELF AND I - Odunsi Junction, Bariga, Lagos, Nigeria.
2019 - OMODE GBON AGBA GBON - Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Lagos, Nigeria.
2018 - THE MOVING DOT - Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria
2018 - KINI OHUN ETUTU - Sango Ota, Ogun state, Nigeria.
2018 - AGBEGILERE - Tejuosho Market, Lagos, Nigeria.
2018 - OGEDE NBAGE - Lagos Book and Art Festival, Freedom Park, Old Colonial Prison Ground , Lagos Island, Lagos.
2018 - AKUDAAYA -Iwaya, Lagos.
2018 - IBEERE - Mainland and Island, Lagos, Nigeria
2018 - IPA -Yaba College of technology, Lagos, Nigeria
2018 - KINI OHUN ETUTU - Sabo, Lagos, Nigeria
2018 - BOJU BAYEJU - Yaba college of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria
2017 - AGANRANDI - Iwaya, Lagos, Nigeria
2017 - BOJU BOJU - Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos, Nigeria
2017 - EEKAN - Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
2017 - IF NO BE SAY OGA AT TOP STOP AM, National Gallery of Art National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, Nigeria
2017 - GLOBAL HUES - Federal college of Education, Lagos, Nigeria
2017 - OYIBIRIBIRI - Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria
2017 - OLUBOBOTIRIBO - Didi museum, Lagos, Nigeria
2017 - THOUGH I DON’T KNOW YOU - Ambassade De Belgique, Abuja, Lagos
2016 - IT IS BLACK, IT IS WHITE - University of Lagos, Nigeria
2016 - ODADA - Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
2016 - TRIBUTE - Nike Art Gallery, Lekki, Lagos
2016 - SHOW ME YOU LOVE ME - Bariga, Lagos
2016 - DELIVER US FROM EVIL - National art Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos
2016 - SENATE ARE YOU A ROTTEN HEAD - with Jelili Atiku - Art House Contemporary, Ikoyi, Lagos.
2016 - IT IS BLACK, IT IS WHITE Iwaya community Art Festival, Iwaya, Lagos
2015 - POLITICAL SPEECH - Akoka, Lagos
-SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2021 “Nike At 70” - EbonyLife, Lagos.
2021 “October Rain” Society of Nigerian Artists- Mydrim Gallery, Lagos.
2021 “Fact File Recycling Exhibition -Thought Pyramid, Lagos.
2020 “October Rain” Society of Nigerian Artists-National Museum, Lagos.
2019 “October Rain” Society of Nigerian Artists- Freedom Park, Lagos.
2018 “October Rain” Society of Nigerian Artists-Thought Pyramid, Lagos.
2018 “ICAF” Radisson Blue Hotel, Lagos.
2017 “October Rain” Society of Nigerian Artist-National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.
2017 - REMEMBRANCE - Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria
2016 Faces and Phases, Terra Kulture, Lagos
2016 Mediating Waste, the University of Lagos
2014 “Step Out” - Final Year Exhibition – University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
2010 till 2015 “October Rain” Society of Nigerian Artists- Nike Art Gallery, Lagos.
2009 “Art on the Mainland”- National Arts Theatre of Arts and Craft, Iganmu, Lagos.
2008 “October Rain” Society of Nigerian Artist-National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.
2007 Beautiful Nigeria, Thought Pyramid, Abuja
2007 Beautiful Nigeria, Harmattan Gallery, Lagos
2007 Beautiful Nigeria, National Museum, Onikan, Lagos
2006 “Democrat” Terra Kulture, V.I., Lagos
2006 Aesthetics Bound- National Museum Onikan, Lagos
2006 In the Beginning – Final Year Exhibition FCE (T) Akoka
2006 Mini Exhibition “Our World” FCE (T), Akoka
2005 Within Our Grasp- National Museum, Onikan, Lagos
2005 Expression- Silverbird Galleria, Lagos
2004 Art Fair- National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.We look forward to Yusuf's Art at the ARTMIABO INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL, LAGOS NIGERIA, 2022, 29TH APRIL - 1ST MAY 2022.
