"Safe Haven" by Popoola Nurudeen
48 x 48 inches, acrylic paint on canvas, original-- framed
Popoola Nurudeen is a Nigerian artist, a graduate of the prestigious Yaba College of Technology Lagos, where he studied Fine art and majored in painting. He has the award for the best student in (painting section) 2014 and 2015 respectively, and also the overall best graduating student in the school of art, design and printing, Yaba College of Technology Lagos, 2016. He also have the award for the best painting/mixed media in the 2018 Life in my city arts festival (LIMCAF). He has been part of some exhibitions and competitions which includes: Lasgidi Arts and Cultural Festival 2012, passing on the torch, (Didi Museum) 2014, Lagos art and fashion exhibition 2015, 5th lasgidi cultural art exhibition 2015, united nations information centre art exhibition 2017, the 9th life in my city art competition 2015 (Lagos finalist), 10th life in my city art competition 2016, world aids day art competition 2015, winner world bipolar day art competition 2018,DIVERSIFORM 1 group exhibition at Moorhouse 2018, ikoyi Lagos,Lasgidi Art and cultural exhibition, Freedom park lagos 2018, Lagos Contemporary art exhibition (lekki coliseum) 2019, DIVERSIFORM 2 art exhibition 2019, Diversiform 3 exhibition, Diversiform 4 exhibition, 2021. He had his first solo exhibition “EVOLVE” February 2021.He exhibited at the 2022 Dak’Art Biennale, Senegal. He’s one of the finalists in the annual NOK exhibition in Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Lagos 2023. He featured in “Green fuse”, a group exhibition at Graham Contemporary, Johannesburg in 2023.He also exhibited at “Last Act” a group exhibition in Thought Pyramid Lagos, December 2023, He had a duo exhibition with Adeola Balogun PhD, in March 2024. His works has been collected both locally and internationally. after his NYSC, he worked briefly as a lecturer at The Ultimate University Portnovo, Beninrepublic. Popoola works are inspired by Africa and its people.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My practice is centered around creating artworks that communicate the modernity of Africanism, I intend to stimulate the beholder’s reasoning of the possible reality of combining African culture with assimilated foreign traditions without losing touch of who we are.
I create a visualization of African youth, male and female, who while lusting after western characteristics still maintains the identity of their heritage. An attitude I hope new generation Africans can imbibe in their desire to live up to the fashion and expectations of today’s fanciful society.
