"My Style Is Black Culture": Meet Ajiboye Adedolapo

Ajiboye Dolapo is a young artist who uses the human body as his canvas and craftsman, he is currently a student at the prestigious Yaba College Of Technology.

Tell us about yourself and how did you start up as an artist?

My name is Ajiboye Adedolapo(creates). I am a young Nigerian artist and a student of yaba college of technology. I have always wanted to be an artist since age 5. Then I used to draw with my elder brother after school hours. We tore a lot of our notes then to make comics and colored pencil sketch. My parents were not in support of these so my brother lost interest. I even had to deceive my dad that I would like to become a doctor, but I didn’t loose hope and interest. Later on, my dad later accepted that we should all choose our career ourselves and I was happy, but unfortunately my brother had already lost interest. So from there, I offered art in secondary school and that’s what I am studying in higher institution

now.

So how has it been so far, being in that art space considering not everyone appreciates art in the part of the world?

It has been pretty okay. I have met with a lot of people that appreciate art and those that don’t. It’s not everybody that is aesthetic in nature so what I do is that I try to change their thinking towards art and it has been so good do far.

You are a body artist, what inspired this form of art for you?

I wanted to explore more about painting so I decided to go for human canvass. It so interesting because you get to express yourself, it’s like talking to another body with your brush and paint. Sometimes you can even chat with your model unlike just being u and your canvass. Also, more can be written about art on the body because the model can give a different pose.

How much does an average body art design cost, can you tell us?

Yea sure! An average body art design can cost you up to 15 thousands depending on how many Models I’d be working on.

How would you describe your style of art?

I would say my style is black culture. I love working around African culture. If I am making paintings, necklace or shoes, I love designing them with African motifs. For example, painting some cartoonish-abstract figures on a thumbhole shirt, I won’t say because it’s a pop culture thing so I have to do something pop, I will make it different by using African motifs.

What’s your ultimate goal as a body artist and craftsman?

Reaching out to the world and changing the world for good with the aid of my art and crafts.

You must have had an inspiration to create carved necklaces, can you tell us about it?

It all started in the ceramics studio when I was doing my assignment. I was working with clay and I mistakenly created an abstract piece with crumbs of clay. From there I started selling abstract necklaces in the hostel. Later I tried out making faces with clay, I got a good result but it wasn’t durable. Sometimes, my customer might be about to leave my doorstep and the necklace will get broken. So, I soughted out another way by making use of carton. I mafe use of these for a long time till I was longing to upgrade because the carton made necklace wasn’t water proof. At this time, I saw some references online and made a lot of research till I got to these level.

What has been your experience as an artist who is trying to sell his work in this Buhari economy?

Do you feel Nigerians in 2016 are more aIt’s been all good. Glory be to the Lord. Most customers complains about recession and some will just say they will get back to me. so sometimes I just use to reduce my price so as not to loose customers.

Do you think Nigerians are more appreciative of Art than some years back?

Yes. Nigeria is getting better day by day. Art is now being taught in schools and parents are getting to see the importance of art in the society

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