Doorway Converstion with Folasade Ologundudu at 1-54 Art Fair London
At 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair yesterday, we had a short but thought-provoking conversation with Folasade Ologundudu, founder of creative studio Light Work and host of the podcast Everything Is Connected. We spoke at the doorway to Light Work’s presentation, a fitting setting for a project that explores questions of perspective, interpretation and the stories we inherit. Through her writing, Folasade explores how culture, history and politics shape one another, challenging how we understand reality through the lens of art.
At the fair, Light Work presents works by artists including Bunmi Agusto, Tega Akpokona, Joke Amusan, Aisha Seriki and more. The studio is also hosting a workshop today - Friday, 16 October, from 1pm to 3:30pm at the West Wing, Somerset House. Through writing prompts and responses to artworks, participants are invited to challenge existing narratives and contribute their perspectives.
We spoke with Folasade about the ideas behind the project, the importance of community and what happens to the contributions people share.
Why "(Re)Casting the Canon"?
"Words are very important to me. They’re how I tell the story of my work and contextualise what I do. I spend a lot of time with artists, whose language is visual, while mine is rooted in words.
I wanted a title that encapsulated the ideas that have emerged over the last half-decade of my work: our ability to reimagine, reinterpret and recontextualise the canon. I wanted the name to evoke something imaginative, while remaining firmly grounded in reality."
We have the agency to reimagine. When it comes to reality and agency, I think we live in a world where so much of what we think is shaped by discourse and what we consume online. Sometimes, we don’t stop to ask ourselves, “Is this actually my opinion, or is it someone else’s?”
I think it’s really interesting how you’ve brought the community closer to the work, allowing people to write about what they think and what they see, while also challenging those perspectives.
Why was it important to you to take this community-first approach?
"I think the reason is how inspiring artists have been to me. There’s an exchange that happens when I engage with artists: they talk to me about their work, and then I write about it. It’s not one-sided. The things they say to me have a deep impact on me.
I’ve seen so many African and Black contemporary artists rally around and support each other, becoming each other’s foundation, because they recognise that we’re in an environment where there are so few of us. We walk into many spaces and find ourselves alone, often one of one or one of two.
The idea of community was always central because artists impressed upon me that there was nothing that could happen without community. I really want to emphasise how deeply inspiring and motivating artists have been, and how much their perspectives on the world and life at large have influenced me."
What will happen to the contributions people share?
"Everyone who feels inclined to create a reflective postcard will have their writing included in a zine. The zine will be printed here in London, with 150 numbered copies distributed at the fair on Saturday until they’re all gone.
Anyone who receives a copy will have access to this living archive. We also hope to create a digital version that can be accessed online. But for now, the focus is on the physical, in-person zine that people will contribute to."
A few things that stayed with me
One thing I particularly noticed was how many people were drawn to Light Work’s presentation. The room was already full when I arrived, with people taking in the work. Even as we were about to begin our conversation, people stopped by to say hello and introduce themselves.
When I returned later to take a few more photographs, Folasade was still talking in depth about the artworks. There was a real sense of exchange around the work, and it made me want to spend more time there.
If you’re visiting 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, I’d recommend stopping by Light Work’s presentation and taking the time to engage with the artworks and the conversations around them.
A special thank you to Ann-Marie from the Light Work team for her warmth during the encounter.
Interview by Tomisin Amsata-Awani, Founder of The Town Crier LDN
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