GREENEVILLE – Tusculum University’s Center for the Arts is hosting an exhibit featuring depictions of the rich Yoruba culture by renowned artist Akintayo Akintobi in the Clem Allison Art Gallery.
Akintayo Akintobi
The exhibition, titled “Pattern is Journey,” opened Saturday, March 1, and runs through Sunday, March 30. A reception for Akintobi will take place Thursday, March 6, from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery, which is housed inside Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center.
“His work is excellent and skillful, and I am excited to showcase it at Tusculum,” said Benjamin Conley, assistant professor of art and design and the gallery’s director. “’Pattern is Journey’ showcases a mix of Akintobi’s painting practices. He is skilled in both realistic rendering of pattern and texture, while also possessing a brilliance in abstraction and shape. The displayed works exemplify each of these differing, yet connected qualities.”
Akintobi utilizes shapes, patterns, textures and African motifs to convey human emotions, behaviors and reactions to nature and society. Many of his pieces incorporate symbolic representations of metaphors, stories and values specific to the West African and Yoruba cultures in which he was nurtured.
Born in Ibadan, a city in Southwestern Nigeria, Akintobi has painted since he was 7. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and Education, with a specialization in painting, from Obafemi Awolowo University. He moved to the United States in 2021 and has since participated in several art exhibitions and competitions both nationally and internationally.
Akintobi has found that this international move is a great inspiration for his art.
“I explore the fusion of my experiences in American and Nigerian culture,” he said. “These works are a meditation on my life growing up in Nigeria alongside my experiences during my graduate program over the last three years in the United States. I delve into cultural perspectives within and outside of my narrative, tracing identity and creativity within the dynamic context of both countries. This body of work is centered on my observations regarding the differences between my former life in Nigeria and my current life in the United States.”
His journey through understanding the cultural differences has also led him to gain a deeper appreciation of his medium.
“Cycles II” is another painting in Akintayo Akintobi’s exhibit.
“Ethos” is one of the paintings in Akintayo Akintobi’s exhibit.
“Working with mixed media has led to a more personal way of describing cross-cultural narratives, raising questions about the strangeness of existing in both worlds,” Akintobi said. “In essence, I have found myself constantly feeling the need to learn, unlearn and relearn the various rules of art and culture so that I can articulate my perspectives and emotions about Nigeria’s contrasting ways of life with America. My journey, however unique to me, contains universal resonance while shaping my identity and personality through my life and art.”
Akintobi and Conley shared a studio in graduate school and have been close friends since. When Conley joined the Tusculum faculty in August, Akintobi was one of the first people he asked to hold a solo show in the gallery.
The community can view Akintobi’s work in the gallery from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and attend the reception. The visits are free, but Tusculum welcomes donations to support the delivery of these types of programs.
Anyone with questions can email Conley at bconley@tusculum.edu.
Further information about the Center for the Arts is available at https://site.tusculum.edu/center-for-the-arts/. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.