Kuta Arts Foundation is delighted to welcome the fellows joining our esteemed art residency program for 2024. Our residency serves as a nurturing ground for artistic growth. As our first residency specifically open to the public*, this initiative will have 2 cohorts featuring ten emerging female artists from remote communities across Nigeria in the picturesque city of Abeokuta, Ogun State. These fellows will be provided with an art studio, accommodation, educational resources, art materials and mentorship, all of which will support their creative practice.
Our first cohort comprise four exceptional female artists who are currently researching and creating at our studio facility. We look forward to the arrival of our second cohort slated to commence their residency by April 2024. Below are the fellows for Cohort 1.
Chinecherem Peace Ifedilichukwu
Chinecherem Peace Ifedilichukwu is a textile protege hailing from Akwaeze, Anambra State. Through the expert use of Batik, her work transcends mere aesthetics, serving as a poignant commentary on social issues while featuring rich symbols of the Igbo tribe. Crowned ‘Best Graduating Student’ in the Department of Industrial Design (Textile) at the School of Arts, Design & Printing Technology, I.M.T., Enugu, Chinecherem is currently learning about Ogun State at our studio facility as she develops a body of work that transcends two cultural ties.
Image courtesy of Kuta Arts
Oluwaseyi Akinwumi
Oluwaseyi Akinwumi is an artist from Lagos whose repertoire of works span a multitude of mediums, from Indian Ink, charcoal, watercolour, acrylic, chalk, crayons, oil pastels, and collage. Seyi’s work is inspired by unspoken dialogues from adolescence all of which are translated into visual narratives. Her versatile choice of medium echoes her seemingly chaotic and multifaceted process, drawing viewers into realms of vulnerability and transparency. Seyi received a degree in Supply Chain and Logistics Management from the University of Warwick, England.
Image courtesy of Kuta Arts
Ololade Lawal
Ololade Lawal is a visual artist from Lagos whose explorations traverse lens-based mediums and abstract paintings, the latter which she now practises often. She discovered her artistic call while pursuing a Higher Diploma in Mass Communication at the Yaba College of Technology. She is a mentee at the Nlele Institute with keen interest in securing an MFA.
Image courtesy of Kuta Arts
Itunuoluwapelumi Omotoso
Itunuoluwapelumi Omotoso is a multidisciplinary, non-binary artist renowned for their experimental sculptures and jewellery crafted from copper wire. Hailing from Ogun State, they were a fellow at the Green Architecture Project by the Soul of Nations Foundation, USA (2020/2021) and currently retain membership at the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG).
Image courtesy of Kuta Arts
We look forward to facilitating interactions between our fellows and esteemed professionals from the art world through in-person and virtual engagements with curators, collectors, artists, and cultural workers. This will impact their creative practice, inspire cultural and artistic exchange among fellows and members of our community as they develop their work thematically over the course of 6–12 weeks.
*previous residencies have been specifically for members of the community.
