Artwork of the Month Paw-sitive (+ve), honorable mention artist of the month Jan 2025.
Artist Bio:
Ayodeji Kingsley is a Nigerian-born artist based in the United Kingdom who predominantly works with metal in his sculptures. Ayodeji has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria and a master’s in environmental control and assessment from the University of Derby in the United Kingdom.
Ayodeji’s artistic side was awakened at a young age, and he excelled in fine and creative art throughout his basic and secondary education. Over the years, he has developed his own imaginative and conceptual mind through drawing, paronomasia, making graphic illustrations and, most recently, sculpting. Initially, to supplement his income during university, his digital art practice began as a creative outlet and source of extra cash. However, the act of creation was far more than a mere means to an end. After completing his first degree, he consciously transitioned from a part-time pursuit to a dedicated artistic career by taking tutelage from artists in the country, self-development, and attending exhibitions.
As a passionate environmentalist/artist motivated by a deep fascination with salvaged metals’ raw power and inherent beauty, Ayodeji has worked on a pre-existing art concept but a different expression lens. He has thought through and taught the magnificent use of what others see as waste, bringing them together in the praxis of pleasing aesthetics to express familiar ideas and entities such as animals, tools, items and lots more. He transforms discarded machinery, tools, and industrial detritus into evocative sculptures that explore themes of decay, rebirth, and the cyclical nature of existence.
Ayodeji Kingsley infuses mediums to facilitate an interface between the subject and the viewer. Ayodeji draws inspiration from various sources, including everyday situations, nature, personal beliefs, and communication with other artists. The principal themes in his works are surrealism, paronomasia and deeply entrenched African Proverbs. He strives to express these elements in his psychological approach to his artistic expression—a perfect reflection of the evolving and kaleidoscopic world around us.
Throughout his career, Ayodeji has created a remarkable body of work that has received widespread recognition. His works have been shown in a variety of shows and galleries, both online and in person, across the globe. He has completed several commissioned works, including public sculptures in his home country, Nigeria. His work has captivated audiences across multiple platforms.
Artwork name: Paw-sitive (+ve)
Medium: Scrap Metal.
Dimension: 10 x 32 x 26 inches.
Artist interview:
When it comes to your art, explain what you do in 100 words
My sculptural practice utilizes narrative, storytelling, paronomasia, African proverbs and the transformation of discarded materials, principally metals, to create artworks that explore themes of human identity and psychology, alongside social commentary, with a particular focus on social injustice. By combining the raw power of metal with the delicate beauty of organic forms, I create strong and sensitive pieces. Each sculpture manifests my thoughts and feelings, a tangible representation of the intangible. Each sculpture is a testament to the power of human ingenuity and the beauty of the natural world.
What project are you working on now?
I am currently developing a body of work for a solo exhibition later this year. These pieces will engage in social commentary through a collaborative exploration of figurative and life forms.
Which place in the world do you find to be the most inspiring?
Italy. I find Italy the most inspiring place in the world in relation to my artistic practice. This stems from its historical significance as the home of renowned sculptors, including Michelangelo, Donatello, and Bernini, among others. Furthermore, Italy’s architectural landscape boasts a wealth of masterpieces, often seamlessly incorporating sculptural elements, such as the Doge’s Palace and the Milan Cathedral.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
The best piece of advice I’ve gotten should be, “If you think the price of winning is too high, wait till you get the price of regret.”
Do you make a living off of your art?
At the moment, not exactly as it used to be in the past. Owing to the fact that I recently relocated to the UK and just acclimatising and started practising fully again.
How has your practice changed over time?
As a creative who has over the years developed his own imaginative and conceptual mind through writing puns, drawing, making graphic illustrations and now sculpture. Thematically, my work continues to explore paronomasia, narrative, storytelling, and African proverbs in engaging themes of human identity, and psychology, alongside social commentary. However, my practice has evolved significantly, shifting from visual communication to a focus on embodied experience. While medium previously worked on held primacy in concept making, the making process and the resultant form of new practice are now of equal, if not greater, importance.
Sculpture, for me, is a process of discovery. Although I may begin with a concept or emotion, engaging with materials, such as scrap metal. This often leads to unforeseen creative avenues due to the uniqueness of each metal scrap. Experimentation and allowing the material to inform the final piece are central to my current practice.
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