Artist: Ayodeji Kingsley
Artist Statement
My sculptures invite the viewer to explore the depths of the human psyche. I aim to evoke a sense of wonder and introspection, inviting viewers to connect with their subconscious. By blending surrealism, paronomasia, and proverbs, I seek to challenge traditional notions of form and meaning. My work is a visual language, a dialogue between the artist and the viewer as I invite you to navigate through my mind’s eye, to experience the world as I see it, filtered through the lens of imagination and emotion. The intricate patterns and textures inspire me in nature, and I strive to incorporate these elements into my sculptures. 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. The process of creating these sculptures is a meditative journey. I find solace in shaping, moulding, and bringing form to formlessness. It is a way to connect with the divine and appreciate the world’s beauty and complexity. In a world adapting to the consequences of unrestrained consumption, my art poignantly reflects our interconnectedness with the environment. I utilize discarded metals, remnants of a society obsessed with material acquisition, transforming them into sculptures and installations that challenge our perceptions of waste and inspire.
Artist Biography
Ayodeji Kingsley is a Nigerian-born artist based in the Derby, 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, paranomasia, 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.