BOP PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE WEEK: ADEOLA OLAGUNJU

Adeola Olagunju is a rising photographer who lives and works in Lagos. Developing the art of the performative self-portrait, her series, Resurgence: A Manifesto, looks both inwards and outwards to construct a sense of identity as a means of resistance. In bold black and white, her images speak volumes as they stage the photographer’s attempt to break free from ‘mental shackles.’ Interested in what the body communicates outside of our conscious thoughts, her latest project, Paths and Patterns, explores feet as maps of journeys and experiences, testing the boundary between pre-determined routes and the freedom to wander. Her work has been exhibited at Lagos Photo and she won the Young Artfund Amsterdam Award for 2013.

Her works have been shown in festivals, museums and galleries in many countries. She was the recipient of the Seydou Keïta Grand Prize Award for the Best photographic creation at the 12th edition of the Bamako Encounters International Biennial for Photography in 2019, Lagos Photo Festival Award in 2012 and the Young Art support Amsterdam Award in 2013. Olagunju was one of the selected Mentees at the 5th Edition of Forecast Platform Berlin in 2020.