Nigerian painter Ayotunde Ojo will be the next artist-in-residence at the GUILD Residency.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1995, Ojo’s work explores the emotions and intensity of human relationships and experiences. Drawing inspiration from intimate moments and encounters, the unspoken language of gestures, as well as interior spaces, Ojo works primarily through the mode of self-portraiture (although his subjects can extend to friends, family and the occasional object).

Through the use of materials such as charcoal, pastel, oil and acrylic, Ojo tends to embrace a muted colour palette, allowing for subtle tones and delicate hues to create an atmosphere that embodies an introspective mood. His calm and contemplative paintings are often stark and stripped down, providing him with room to capture the essence of those intimate moments and experiences in an authentic and unobtrusive way. He chooses to represent himself or his subjects in a tranquil, almost melancholic solitude within various lived spaces.

Ojo attained a dual degree in both Fine Art and Graphic Design from the School of Art, Design and Printing, Yaba College of Technology in Lagos in 2018. He has exhibited in various exhibitions and fairs both locally and abroad, including Volery Gallery (Dubai, UAE), Future Fair (NYC, USA), Dida Gallery (Abijan, Côte d’Ivoire), Ko Gallery and Rele Gallery (Lagos, Nigeria) and Maruani Mercier Gallery (Zavetnam, Belgium).

During the course of the residency, Ojo plans to expand on an ongoing project in which he’s exploring the delicate realm between consciousness and unconsciousness; the space where dreams and reality merge. “I intend to expand the existing body of work, experimenting with new techniques and approaches to further convey the subtle nuances of this liminal state,” he explains. The working title of this developing series is ‘Between Sleep and Awake’.