Beyond the Crossroads, Where Heritage Meets CreativityEXHIBITION

Yinka Olatunbosun

Popoola Nurudeen, a painter, and Segun Adewumi, a sculptor, are making waves in the Lagos art scene. This young, emerging, and passionate duo is known for their individual talents, which converge in their joint exhibition, Roots and Horizon.

Curated by Moses Ohiomokhare and Oke Gabriel, the show explores the dynamic relationship between heritage and progress by juxtaposing the past with future possibilities. Inside the spacious gallery in Apapa, the two artists recently sat down to unpack their journey into mutual storytelling, employing different mediums. As they delve into their roots, they share compelling narratives that bridge the gap between history and innovation, inviting timely interrogation. Meanwhile, Popoola contemplates the future, while Adewumi takes a retrospective glance into cultural influences.

Influenced by the works of Yusuf Grillo, Popoola appropriates the blue colour for his figures, articulating his disillusionment with the future of misguided youths. Furthermore, he explores the shaping of character through human experiences, using the halo motif in works such as “The Little Dreamers” and “Petals and Ponderance” to delve into the themes of childhood and personal growth. “I use this halo to say that we are all born without sins. So it is now our environment, our thinking, our parents, our school that are shaping us to whom we become,” he explained, highlighting the contrast with the prevalent behavioural patterns of youths on social media.

“The little dreamers are just little girls dreaming of what they will become, surrounded with petals,” he continued while directing attention to the acrylic painting. “Petals symbolise good things, not bad, but the children are not yet to decide on their own.”
The painter, who incidentally is a new dad, navigates the subject matter of childhood dreams offering a thought-provoking dialogue about the complexities of belonging, movement, and evolution in both personal and collective contexts.

In the same vein, Adewumi sources discarded materials to craft substantial statements on familial relationships. Using sob stone and metals, his piece “Guided by Wisdom” underscores the significance of parental guidance. Notably, Adewumi’s personal experience of losing his parents at a young age informs his work, as he drew heavily on his mother’s ingrained counsel to navigate life’s challenges.

Using hinges, metal springs, bolts, and other mechanical components, Adewumi tapped into his formal education in engineering to deliver his artistic point of view. His abstract piece was inspired by his personal experience with motherhood and maternal love. Additionally, Adewumi’s 16-piece collection reimagines familial relationships through history, exploring themes such as slavery and education. One notable piece, “Each One Teach One,” uses the game of chess as a symbol of knowledge, encouraging the viewer to transcend boundaries of time and space and find connection and meaning across generations.
By highlighting the interplay between continuity and change, Roots and Horizons, which opens at Qgallery on March 23, subverts the notion of linear progression, celebrating the constant negotiation between the past and future.