From December 19, 2015, to January 9, 2016, Omenka Gallery will present Status and Time, a joint exhibition of recent work by leading London-based designers Yinka Ilori and Jade Folawiyo. Supported by the British Council, the exhibition features an installation of palm oil kegs, as well as a collection of intricate wall clocks referencing thought-provoking quotes on the theme of time and change.
Ilori specializes in up-cycling vintage furniture, inspired by the traditional Nigerian parables and African fabrics that surrounded him as a child. He is interested in exploring with the relationship between function and form and his work sits between traditional divisions of art and design. Bringing Nigerian verbal traditions into playful conversation with contemporary design, Yinka Ilori’s work touches on themes as various as hope, sexuality and social class.
Jade Folawiyo is a product designer who also draws inspiration from her Nigerian heritage. She focuses on accessories for the home produced in ceramic, glass or metal, and has a key interest in working with local artisans and reinterpreting traditional techniques.
Both artists negotiate their cultural identities, becoming part of an intimate conversation between Africa and the West, their work forming an important trajectory in the discourse of contemporary design from Nigeria.