{"id":30118,"date":"2025-03-05T19:16:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T00:16:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?p=30118"},"modified":"2025-03-05T19:16:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T00:16:19","slug":"nigerian-born-artist-holding-exhibit-at-tusculum-university-featuring-depictions-of-the-rich-yoruba-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/nigerian-born-artist-holding-exhibit-at-tusculum-university-featuring-depictions-of-the-rich-yoruba-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigerian-born artist holding exhibit at Tusculum University featuring depictions of the rich Yoruba culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Tusculum University<\/a>\u2019s Center for the Arts<\/a> is hosting an exhibit featuring depictions of the rich Yoruba culture by renowned artist Akintayo Akintobi in the Clem Allison Art Gallery.<\/h3>\n
\"Akintayo

Akintayo Akintobi<\/p><\/div>\n

The exhibition, titled \u201cPattern is Journey,\u201d opened Saturday, March 1, and runs through Sunday, March 30. A reception for Akintobi\u00a0will take place Thursday, March 6, from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery, which is housed inside Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis work is excellent and skillful, and I am excited to showcase it at Tusculum,\u201d said Benjamin Conley, assistant professor of art and design<\/a> and the gallery\u2019s director.\u00a0\u201c\u2019Pattern is Journey\u2019 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Akintobi\u00a0utilizes shapes, patterns, textures and African motifs to convey human emotions, behaviors and\u00a0reactions to nature and society. Many of his pieces incorporate symbolic representations of metaphors,\u00a0stories and values specific to the West African and Yoruba cultures in which he was nurtured.<\/p>\n

Born in Ibadan, a city in Southwestern Nigeria, Akintobi has painted since he was 7. He\u00a0earned a Bachelor of Arts and Education, with a specialization in painting, from Obafemi Awolowo\u00a0University. He moved to the United States in 2021 and has since participated in several art exhibitions\u00a0and competitions both nationally and internationally.<\/p>\n

Akintobi has found that this international move is a great inspiration for his art.<\/p>\n

\u201cI explore the fusion of my experiences in American and Nigerian culture,\u201d he said. \u201cThese works are a meditation\u00a0on my life growing up in Nigeria alongside my experiences during my graduate program over the last\u00a0three years in the United States. I delve into cultural perspectives within and outside of\u00a0my narrative, tracing identity and creativity within the dynamic context of both countries. This body of\u00a0work is centered on my observations regarding the differences between my former life in Nigeria and\u00a0my current life in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n

His journey through understanding the cultural differences has also led him to gain a deeper\u00a0appreciation of his medium.<\/p>\n

\""Cycles

“Cycles II\u201d is another painting in Akintayo Akintobi\u2019s exhibit.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\u201cEthos\u201d

\u201cEthos\u201d is one of the paintings in Akintayo Akintobi\u2019s exhibit.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWorking with mixed media has led to a more personal way of describing cross-cultural narratives,\u00a0raising questions about the strangeness of existing in both worlds,\u201d Akintobi said. \u201cIn essence, I have\u00a0found myself constantly feeling the need to learn, unlearn and relearn the various rules of art and\u00a0culture so that I can articulate my perspectives and emotions about Nigeria’s contrasting ways of life\u00a0with America. My journey, however unique to me, contains universal resonance while shaping my\u00a0identity and personality through my life and art.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The community can view Akintobi\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Anyone with questions can email Conley at\u00a0bconley@tusculum.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Further information about the Center for the Arts is available at https:\/\/site.tusculum.edu\/center-for-the-arts\/<\/a>. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Tusculum University<\/a>\u2019s Center for the Arts<\/a> is hosting an exhibit featuring depictions of the rich Yoruba culture by renowned artist Akintayo Akintobi in the Clem Allison Art Gallery.<\/h3>\n

The exhibition, titled \u201cPattern is Journey,\u201d opened Saturday, March 1, and runs through Sunday, March 30. A reception for Akintobi\u00a0will take place Thursday, March 6, from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery, which is housed inside Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis work is excellent and skillful, and I am excited to showcase it at Tusculum,\u201d said Benjamin Conley, assistant professor of art and design<\/a> and the gallery\u2019s director.\u00a0\u201c\u2019Pattern is Journey\u2019 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read the full article…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[131,91,7,158,19,142,169,146,1,6,148,147,149],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nNigerian-born artist holding exhibit at Tusculum University featuring depictions of the rich Yoruba culture :: Tusculum University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/nigerian-born-artist-holding-exhibit-at-tusculum-university-featuring-depictions-of-the-rich-yoruba-culture\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Nigerian-born artist holding exhibit at Tusculum University featuring depictions of the rich Yoruba culture :: Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"GREENEVILLE \u2013 Tusculum University\u2019s 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. The exhibition, titled \u201cPattern is Journey,\u201d opened Saturday, March 1, and runs through Sunday, March 30. A reception for Akintobi\u00a0will take place Thursday, March 6, from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery, which is housed inside Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center. \u201cHis work is excellent and skillful, and I am excited to showcase it at Tusculum,\u201d said Benjamin Conley, assistant professor of art and design and the gallery\u2019s director.\u00a0\u201c\u2019Pattern is Journey\u2019 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. 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