Muyiwa Adeyanju
Region: Midwest
Years of self-practice and expression through various mediums—which have ranged from charcoal pencils, graphite, ballpoint pens, photography, sign design, and most recently, mixed media—have accompanied my steady progression towards finding a unique style. I have worked on a number of projects, with themes including personal narratives, societal challenges, and migration. After years of experimenting, I began creating collage works using Dutch wax textiles, acrylics, oil paints, and photographs. I am attracted by these fabrics’ many colors; they remind me of Africa’s rich culture, as well as their history and how it became a mainstay in Africa.
To explore the ideological breakdown of African culture and practice from neocolonialism, as well as my own feelings of upheaval from migrating to the United States and being separated from my family, I take a mixed media approach to collaging. By cutting, twisting, adding, and redesigning fabrics, I find new ways to present these various cultural elements. In doing so, I create new dialogues with the viewer.