Artist Statement: My piano design for Sing for Hope, titled The Convergence, is a vibrant fusion of contemporary abstraction and African visual traditions, celebrating music as a universal language of hope, healing, and connection. Drawing from African patterns, symbols, and rhythmic line work, the surface of the piano becomes a living composition, alive with movement, color, and sound. Flowing lines weave across the piano's form, abstracting figures that sing, dance, and play musical instruments. These figures are not fixed or literal; instead, they emerge through fluid gestures and layered patterns, reflecting the shared energy of music in motion. The lines move like melodies, rising and falling, echoing the rhythm of song and the improvisational nature of performance. Bold, expressive colors amplify this sense of joy and resilience, inviting passersby to pause, engage, and feel. African patterns serve as both visual anchors and storytelling elements, representing heritage, community, and collective memory. In many African cultures, music and art are inseparable from daily life, they are tools for communication, celebration, and survival. By integrating these patterns into a modern, abstract language, I aim to bridge tradition and contemporary expression, honoring the past while speaking to the present. When placed in a public space, this piano becomes more than an instrument; it becomes a gathering point. It invites people of all backgrounds to interact, play, listen, and connect. Through color, movement, and rhythm, The Convergence embodies the spirit of Sing for Hope: using art and music to inspire unity, joy, and possibility in shared spaces.
I am a Nigerian-born multidisciplinary artist and community art facilitator based in New York City. My work spans painting, mural art, installation art, wearable art, woodwork, and is deeply informed and rooted in Yoruba cultural traditions and African systems of knowledge. My artistic practice explores themes of African identity, culture, migration, healing, memory, and collective care. Through bold faces and figuration, symbolic imagery, patterns, and material exploration, I investigate the relationship between the subconscious and contemporary life while honoring heritage within modern contexts. I view art as a healing and transformative process, for myself and for the communities I engage. My work has been exhibited and featured locally, internationally and online, including the Royal Academy of Arts in London, Vogue Germany, Artsy, Galeria 21, the Heineken House in Amsterdam, African artists foundation, Nike art gallery, and galleries at the Community College of Baltimore County. I have also assisted in the production of artworks shown at the Smithsonian Museum of African Art and the Venice Biennale, and worked on a large-scale mural installation at the Facebook office in Dubai. Alongside my studio practice, I actively facilitate art programs and public art projects for youth, families, older adults, and underserved communities through schools, and hospitals. My work centers accessibility, cultural exchange, and public space as powerful tools for storytelling, educational and social impact.
