Aso Oke: The Woven Beauty, an exhibition by the artist, Tunde Owolabi, has opened at the Red Door Gallery, Victoria Island, Lagos and will be on till November 22.
Aimed at depicting the cultural value, significance and beauty of the aso oke, a fabric which originates from the Yoruba ethnic group in Nigeria, it is a tapestry of history and cultural heritage weaved together in paintings, photography, sound and film installations, photo-painting (combination of photography and painting), and mixed media.
“The reason I chose aso oke is because of its cultural value and vibrancy. While learning about it, I realised there is more to the fabric. The dynamism with which it has evolved over time from the traditional type to the more modern aso oke we see lately also got me interested. The process of making it alone is an art that leaves no gender out of the fun and experience,” said Owolabi.
Born in Lagos, Owolabi studied painting under the tutelage of Professor Abayomi Barber, a renowned Nigerian artist at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and studied graphic design at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH). He went on to study photography at the University of the Arts, London.
He worked as a designer at the Research Studios, London, under Neville Brody, a respected English graphic designer, typographer and art director. When he returned to Nigeria in 2009, he worked as an art director with Insight Communications, before leaving to start up StudioMO and has since become a full-time studio artist, photographer and designer.
Owolabi has participated in several group exhibitions, including ‘Lines and Colour’s (2003), ‘Inner Thoughts’ at the Nimbus African Art Centre (2004), ‘Working with Communities’, a Guinness group exhibition (2004), and ‘Gods of This Age’ at Didi Museum. His first solo exhibition, ‘African Elegance’, was at the Battersea Art Gallery, London (2009). His works can be found at the Hungarian Embassy and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). ‘Aso Oke: The Woven Beauty’ is his second solo exhibition.”
Tunde lives and works in Lagos.
