30 october 2024, Yves Joris
The fluid boundary between body and text in the work of Idowu Oluwaseun
On entering Poetic Culture, the new exhibition featuring work by Idowu Oluwaseun at GNYP Gallery, the viewer is immediately overwhelmed by a visual intensity that feels more like a physical experience than a purely intellectual encounter. The work on display is not just paintings or images, but spaces where the language of the body, the texture of stories and the poetry of culture blend into a vibrant whole. It’s no accident that Oluwaseun, an artist born in Lagos, creates such layered work, as his art is deeply rooted in the hybrid space between individual and collective memory, between the physical body and invisible cultural narratives that shape it.
Idowu Oluwaseun grew up in the city of Lagos, a melting pot of influences, styles and rhythms. The scents of the markets, the bustle of the streets and the intimate domestic spaces of Nigeria subtly make their way into his work. From an early age, Oluwaseun was aware of how the physical environment, with its visible and invisible forces, deeply influences human identity. His journey into art was both introspective and observational; he looks outward towards the world, but always returns inward towards himself.
Oluwaseun’s journey: art as a translation of identity
Oluwaseun graduated from the University of Lagos and later earned an MFA at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. He began his career by focusing on painting and mixed media, emphasising texture and material. His work is more than visual; it invites a tactile approach, inviting the viewer to ‘feel’ with their eyes. This idea of feeling through sight is fundamental to his aesthetics and emerges strongly in Poetic Culture. In this exhibition, he blends elements of African history, identity and modern culture into an aesthetic fabric that is as inviting as it is unsettling.
The impact of Oluwaseun’s work is amplified by his connection to the hip-hop movement, which emerged in the 1970s in the South Bronx borough of New York City. What started as a way for African American and Latino youth to create a safe space for self-expression became a global phenomenon that is now an integral part of contemporary culture. Through poetic texts, powerful images and rhythmic beats, hip-hop became a platform for social activism, political resistance and cultural expression. This movement played a crucial role in shaping Oluwaseun’s own artistic identity, something that is clearly evident in his work.
Idowu Oluwaseun, Poetic Culture, GNYP Gallery
What is poetic culture?
The term ‘poetic culture’ immediately brings to mind certain images and associations. The words poetic and culture might initially seem diametrically opposed, especially if we view culture as something grand, socially defined and structural. Poetry, on the other hand, is often associated with intimacy, subtlety and inner life. Yet, it is precisely within this tension that we find the keys to understanding Oluwaseun’s work.
A philosophical approach to the concept of ‘poetic culture’ asks us to consider how culture is not only an objective fact, but also a subjectively experienced reality, constantly shaped by the individuals who move through it. In Oluwaseun’s work, we see culture not as a fixed structure, but as a fluid, moving entity shaped by the poetry of everyday life. Each piece in this exhibition seems like a fragment of a larger story, a piece of cultural memory that is constantly rewritten, depending on who interprets it.
Symbiosis of movement and stillness
One of the most striking aspects of Poetic Culture is how Oluwaseun weaves movement and stillness into his work. The pieces are dynamic and powerful, yet also have a calm, quiet energy that invites contemplation. The figurative elements in his paintings seem to move, transform and evade simple interpretations. There is a sense of transition, as if the images are on the brink of becoming something—or just about to disappear.
This description brings to mind the philosophy of Heraclitus, who argued that everything is in a constant state of flux, that we never step into the same river twice, a philosophical notion that seems to be central to Oluwaseun’s approach. His images are never static, but fragments of an eternal process of ‘becoming’. This dynamism is enhanced by his use of materials and textures, giving the work a sense of constant movement—a form of visual poetry that invites the viewer to engage in a continuous process of interpretation and reinterpretation.
Idowu Oluwaseun, Pump Pump, 2024, GNYP Gallery
Bandana as a symbol of invisibility and commodification
In Oluwaseun’s paintings, the bandana plays a powerful, symbolic role: it partially covers his subjects’ faces, potentially alluding to the invisibility and marginalisation that Black people often encounter. This ‘facelessness’ underscores how Black culture and the hip-hop movement are frequently commercialised and consumed without acknowledgment of the individuality and humanity at their core. Whereas hip-hop once served as a powerful voice for the oppressed, mainstream media now often shows images of Black rappers surrounded by luxury cars and violence—a superficial image far removed from the original message. Oluwaseun’s work criticises this phenomenon, offering a nuanced reflection on cultural ownership, authenticity and the risks of cultural appropriation.
His affinity for fabric stems from his experience as a fashion illustrator and designer during his studies, a background clearly reflected in the recurring motifs in his work, such as the bandanas. Colours of flags and patterns referencing various minority groups make his work a reflection on social, cultural and political issues. The bandana, originating in America’s Wild West as protection against dust and a mask for anonymity, later became a symbol for subcultures, including urban gangs.
Poetry in material and memory
His work is deeply rooted in the notion of memory—not only as a personal experience, but as a collective cultural memory stretching across time and space. The raw textures, layers of paint and subtle traces of handiwork tell stories that go beyond the visual; they are a poetic reminder of the tangible traces of history, of the cultural baggage we all carry.
The poetic culture Oluwaseun explores is one that appeals to the senses. It is a culture of touch, of feeling, of subtle movements that often go unnoticed in daily life. In this exhibition, visitors are encouraged to look deeper, to go beyond the surface and discover how culture manifests in the smallest details of our physical and sensory experiences.
Dialogue with the future
What makes Poetic Culture so interesting is how Oluwaseun manages to unite the past, present and future within a single visual space. His work constitutes a dialogue between different times and places, but remains rooted in the here and now. The viewer is invited to reflect on their own position within this cultural flow—not as a passive observer, but as an active participant in the creation of poetic culture.
The exhibition is a reflection on what it means to be human in a constantly changing world and how we shape our identity within a shifting cultural context. Oluwaseun’s work is an invitation to consider the poetry hidden in the everyday, the stories that form our cultures and the ways we relate to ourselves and the world around us.
Idowu Oluwaseun, Poetic Culture, GNYP Gallery
