AYOBOLA KEKERE-EKUN
b. 1993, NigeriaBorn in 1993 in Lagos, Ayobola Kekere-Ekun obtained a BA (Hons) in visual arts from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria in 2013. She then graduated with an MA (Hons) in graphic design at the same university in 2016. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in art and design at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Kekere-Ekun works predominantly with a technique known as quilling, in which strips of paper are individually shaped to create forms. Her work is heavily informed by personal experiences and observations. She is particularly interested in subjects connected to gender, mythology, memory, and trauma.
The artist’s first solo exhibition, Resilient Lines (2019) at Rele Gallery, was supported by a grant awarded by the Dean Collection, a contemporary art collection created by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean).
Alongside various solo and group exhibitions, Kekere-Ekun has had works presented in important global art fairs including Latitudes Art Fair Johannesburg, Arte Fiera, Bologna, and SCOPE Miami Beach. Kekere-Ekun was also a recipient of the ABSA L’Atelier Award in 2021.
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