RICHARD AYODEJI IKHIDE
b. 1991, NigeriaRichard Ayodeji Ikhide was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1991 and currently lives and works in London, UK. He is a graduate of the Royal Drawing School. In 2022, Ikhide’s work was the subject of solo exhibitions at Candice Madey, New York and Galerie Bernhard, Zürich. Recent selected solo presentations of his work also include Mythmaking, Steve Turner, Los Angeles (2021); Future Past, V.O Curations, London (2021); and Osmosis, Zabludowicz Collection, London (2019). In addition, his work has been included in several group exhibitions including Image Impressions, FF Projects, Lagos (2023); Prospect and Refuge, Sim Smith, London (2022); Assemble, V.O Curations, London (2021); No horizon, no edge to liquid, Zabludowicz Collection, London (2020); For the Many, Not the Few, Guts Gallery, online; Bloomberg New Contemporaries, South London Gallery, London (2018); and Best Drawing of the Year 2018, Christie’s, London (2017). His work has been acquired by the Royal Collection Trust.
Speaking about his works, Ikhide states: ‘I’ve called the characters in my paintings ‘The Guild of Makers’. I am interested in the importance of how artifacts created by unknown artisans become portals to ancient civilizations... My guild of characters, including Osere Okunrin (The Artist), Olorin Okunrin (The Musician) and Awon Eda (Creations), explore these ideas but are also an extension of parts of myself. Having them engaged in different creative acts was a way to open up and de-mystify the studio process, to show the focus, discipline and different psycho-emotional states.’
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