museum in progress asks: Adeola Olagunju

For museum in progress' exhibition series "Layers of Time" in DATUM you chose the date 1 January 2012 as basis for your artwork. What significance does this date have for you, what do you associate with it?

1st January 2012 bears a painful and contentious moment for Nigerians caused by her leaders who decided to exercise their power by hiking the fuel price this time inconceivably high with a pretentious notion of improving the lives of citizens; the agenda was soon seen as fraud both home and abroad.

Have you worked on this subject before in other pieces of art?

No. I haven't.

Which aspects of your artistic work are especially important to you?

Challenging stereotypes about the body, sexuality and socio-religious beliefs.

If you could determine one of your works of art to outlast the course of time and to be still admired in the far future, which would you choose?

Bloodline-Bloodlust

Are significant personal experiences important for your art? If yes: Could you give an example?

Yes. My language of art chooses to explore the subject of stereotypes due to its subduing effect on myself and I believe a lot of African women share my story of being ruled by social expectations and degradation, which hinders from being expressive.

What is the appeal in creating a work of art for public spaces or the media?

The appeal would be to relate to a wider audience the subtly formed ideology generally experienced from emotions, realities and even the unknowns in art.

To what extent should art fulfil any socio-political tasks?

From time past art one way or the other breaks barriers even when restricted, covered or destroyed. The society should get the art it deserves without constraints.

How would you characterise good art?

Guided by the principles and elements of design I ask is it good? Is it new? Is it a remake of what has been done before? Besides this I think there are no rules or calculations that need to be understood in order to engage fully in viewing modern art.

What are the limits of art?

The limits of art are numerous from poor publicity to haphazard displays with an audience that receives no explanation about the motivations and aims of the artworks.


All participating artists of “Layers of Time” are asked to answer the same questions. In this way the serial character of the project is emphasised as well as the artists’ individual points of view, and the interested readership gets additional information about the works and their creators.