A Black History of Art Presents: A Shared Gaze Alayo Akinkugbe

A conversation with artist Woody de Othello, whose practice spans sculpture, painting and drawing. Woody’s first UK solo exhibition, 'Faith Like a Rock ' is on until the 13th of April 2024 at Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Woody recreates everyday, inanimate objects and transforms them into humanoid characters which elicit different emotions. The exhibition unfolds as an immersive mise-en-scène, with ceramic sculptures, paintings and drawings inhabiting each room. In this conversation, Woody speaks to Alayo from Stephen Friedman Gallery about the spiritual connection he has felt to clay since first working with it in art school, his love of pen drawing since his childhood, and his musical influences, who include composer Julius Eastman (1940-1990) and Jazz musician and composer, Alice Coltrane (1937-2007).

This episode marks the finale of the first season of A Shared Gaze. THANK YOU, TO OUR LISTENERS AND GUESTS FOR YOUR SUPPORT 3

Keep up with us:
Woody: @woodyothello
Alayo: @ablackhistoryofart @alayoakinkugbe

Faith Like A Rock by Woody De Othello is on  at Stephen Friedman Gallery (5-6 Cork Street, London) until 13th April 2024.

A conversation with Gideon Appah, a Ghanaian artist who draws on childhood memories, mythology and west African landscapes. 
This conversation was recorded on the 24th of March 2023. Our discussion centres on specific paintings in his first UK solo exhibition with Pace gallery, London in 2023 titled How to Say Sorry in a Thousand Lights. In this conversation, Gideon speaks to Alayo about his childhood and studies in Accra, the influences he takes from West African cinema and music videos, and his unique technique of painting with oils and acrylics. Gideon gives in-depth descriptions of the techniques he used to make specific paintings, there is a link to the installation images from How to Say Sorry in a Thousand Lights below – to guide your listening. Gideon’s solo exhibition, titled The Play of Thought is due to open at Pace Gallery, Seoul on the 20th of March, 2024.

'How to Say Sorry in a Thousand Lights' -- images from the exhibition linked here and here.

Keep up with us:
Gideon: @appah_gideon

Alayo: @ablackhistoryofart ; @alayoakinkugbe

A conversation with Ayo Akingbade, an artist, writer and director based in London. She has directed 17 short films, which include documentary, fiction and those that blur the lines between the two. In this conversation, Ayo speaks to Alayo about their shared heritage and similar names, growing up in Hackney, her love of fashion & textiles  and her exhibition ‘Show me the world Mister’, which is currently touring the UK. It was first shown at the Chisenhale Gallery, London and has travelled onto Spike Island, Bristol and John Hansard Gallery, Southampton. It is currently showing at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead and will go on to the Whitworth, Manchester. A book of the same name was published by Book Works and Chisenhale Gallery to accompany this exhibition – it includes diary entries, interviews and behind-the-scenes photographs of the production of two of Ayo’s films ‘The Fist’ and ‘Faluyi’. 

Influences mentioned by Ayo:
Artists/Filmmakers: Sade Adu, Meret Oppenheim, Anthea Hamilton, Chantal Akerman, Ed Ruscha, Agnes Varda, Ousmane Sembène, Eric Rohmer, Ellen Gallagher.
Films: ((French New Wave Cinema)), ‘Jules et Jim’ by François Truffaut, ‘Poor things’ by Yorgos Lanthimos, ‘La Chimera’ by Alice Rohrwacher, ‘All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt’ by Raven Jackson, ‘Living in Bondage’ by Chris Obi Rapu.


Keep up with us:
Ayo:  http://www.ayoakingbade.com/
Alayo: @ablackhistoryofart ; @alayoakinkugbe

A conversation with Na Chainkua Reindorf a Ghanaian artist who works across textile, painting, sculpture and installation. Her work is heavily influenced by the rich cultural history of West African, particularly Ghanaian, textiles, from the weaving traditions of Kente, to Fante Asafo flags and Yoruba masquerade dress (aka Egungun). Chainky has also garnered a  following on her carefully curated Instagram page, which consists of fashion she has worn and art she has seen, organised in an impressive colour gradient. In 2022, Chainky was one of 3 artists to represent Ghana at the Venice Biennale in the pavilion Black Star: The Museum as Freedom. In this conversation, Chainky speaks to Alayo from Puerto Rico about the extraordinary experience of representing Ghana in Venice, as well as her life and her broader practice.




Keep up with us on Instagram:



Chainky:


@chainkyr


@ncreindorf



Alayo:


@ablackhistoryofart


@alayoakinkugbe

A conversation with Isabel Okoro, a Nigerian photographer and filmmaker based between Toronto, Canada and Lagos, Nigeria. Isabel’s practice is firmly rooted in world-building, she has invented a world called Eternity, which she describes as a “normatopia”. Normatopia is a word that Isabel coined to mean a space that exists at the sweet spot between harsh reality and utopia. She self-published her first monographic book in 2022, called Friends in Eternity and has produced work for clients including: Dazed, Essence, Vogue and Apple amongst many others. Two of her works were recently acquired by the Art Gallery of Toronto. In this conversation, Isabel speaks to Alayo from home in Lagos, Nigeria about her life and her practice 
Happy Cancer Szn :) 


Keep up with us on Instagram:
Isabel: 
@isabelokoro
https://isabelokoro.com/

Alayo:
@ablackhistoryofart 
@alayoakinkugbe

A conversation with Tesfaye Urgessa, a painter based between Nurtingen, Germany and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Tesfaye's paintings are figurative, fleshy and dynamic. There is often -- amidst the business of his paintings -- an anchor point in the form of a piercing gaze. In this episode, Tesfaye speaks to Alayo from his studio in Nurtingen, about his life and his practice.

*apologies for the low sound quality, Tesfaye's studio is large and echoey*


Keep up with us on instagram:

Tesfaye: @tesfayeurgessa

Alayo: @ablackhistoryofart @alayoakinkugbe