Yusuff Aina Abogunde
Yusuff Aina (b. 1997 in Nigeria) is a multidisciplinary artist who primarily works with acrylic and installation. From a young age, he has nurtured a passion for art and embraced creativity as an anchor point for navigating life. Aina's artistic practice delves into psychosocial realities, exploring themes such as alienation, trust, belonging, and their impact on the environment and the mind.
Through his work, the artist constructs alternative spaces and identities, expanding the boundaries of a constantly evolving visual language.
Aina employs cartoon-like figures, motifs, and landscapes infused with fantastical elements as vehicles for storytelling. These patterns are known as 'ainasm,' ethereal cords that meander around 'Eniyan,' a recurring fictional character symbolising the oneness of humanity and embodying the mantra of resilience. The term 'ainasm' derives from the artist's last name, Àina, which refers to a child born with the umbilical cord wrapped around their neck in Yorùbá tradition. 'Ènìyàn' translates to 'human being.'
For Aina, embracing the mythical and speculative realms represents a poetic quest to express personal and shared experiences while reexamining perspectives on desire, hope, andimagination. Within these alternate worlds born from his inquiry, there exists a profound sense of limitlessness and depth that Ènìyàn truly inhabits, facing myriad dilemmas that parallel those. defining our present reality.
Aina studied Fine Arts Education at the Federal College of Education, Akoka, graduating in 2018. In 2019, he participated in a group exhibition at the Nigerian Presidential Villa which was organised by Bayo Omoboriowo and curated by Retro Africa. In 2021, he was commissioned by Access Bank to create an interactive Ènìyàn booth at West Africa’s premier art fair ART X Lagos. He has also showcased his works at group exhibitions at the African Artists’ Foundation, Lagos; Vins Gallery, Taipei; Eligere Gallery, Seoul; Dida Gallery, Abidjan; Unit Gallery, London; Thinkspace Project, Los Angeles; Retro Africa, Abuja.
CV
EDUCATION
Institution : Federal College of Education Technical , Akoka, Lagos.
Degree Awarded ; National Certificate in Education (NCE), Fine Arts
Year; 2018.
WORKSHOPS
2020 Title Deed 1897 Collective, Drawing and Painting Workshop curated by
African Artists Foundation Lagos Nigeria
EXHIBITIONS
Solo:
2023 Eniyan- Escape Room
2020 ‘Where We Dey Go Now?’, virtual solo exhibition hosted on yusuffaina.com
2019 'SCARRED' exhibition, Mäe Africa at Unit Gallery, London
2019 Live VR Google Tilt brush Performance under IMISI 3D at Impart Art Fair Lagos
Group:
2023 Crossing Exhibition, Lorin Gallery X City Of Talent Los Angeles, California.
2022 Highlights Exhibition , Cohle Gallery, Paris France
2022 The Artist Commune 5.0 Exhibition , “Eniyan; A Point In Time” Installation, One Art Gallery Lagos Nigeria
2022 SHOOTING STARS , Eligere Gallery Seoul South Korea
2022 Dida Gallery , Abidjan, Ivory Coast
2022 Decoding Exhibition, Vins Gallery Taipei, Taiwan
2021 “INFERNO OF THE LIVING “ a duo show Exhibition
2021 Unusual Suspect Exhibition ,African Artists Foundation, Lagos
2021 ‘Real Life Is Fragile’ exhibition, Thinkspace Project Los Angeles CA, United States
2020: ‘Re: Mediation’ exhibition , African Artists Foundation, Lagos
2019 'Being Buhari', group exhibition by Bayo Omoboriowo, State House Presidential Villa Abuja, Nigeria
2019 'In the Making' exhibition, Retro Africa Gallery Abuja, Nigeria;
2019 Live VR Google Tilt brush Performance under IMISI 3D at Impart Art Fair,Lagos
CURATORIAL PROJECT
2019 Assist curator, Retro Africa at ArtX Lagos
RESIDENCIES
2022 Dida Gallery , Grand Bassam, Ivory Coast
COMMISSIONS
2021 Eniyan Booth Commissioned by Aceess Bank at the 2021 ArtX Lagos Fair
VOLUNTEERING
2017 Lagos Biennial
Eniyan Collaboration with Qudus Onikeku,2020/2021 Afropolis RE-
INCARNATION Europe Dance tour.
PUBLICATIONS ;
Art Report Africa; Inside YUSUFF Aina’s first solo exhibition - Eniyan Escape room
Native Magazine; Yusuff Aina Expression
Lagos Review; Eniyan Escape Room a solo exhibition by Yusuff Aina opens at art twenty one
Arts News Africa; Yusuff Aina’s recent exhibition explores color theory at art twenty one
Book Art Ville; Opening Thursday Eniyan Escape room by Yusuff Aina - July 6th 2023 ,9am to 5pm
Contemporary And; Exhibition, Yusuff Aina, Eniyan Escape room
Awe Lagos; Art exhibition in Lagos
Artifacts; Exhibition, Yusuff Aina escape room/110-5740
Arise News
The Guardian Tv
The Guardian Newspaper
Chapter Six Online
On Art Media
OkayAfria ; Nigerian Artist Yusuff Aina Abogunde Uses His Experiences to
Tell Stories on Identity
Juxtapoz Magazine features ; 2021 & 2022 under Thinkspace Art
Reuters News Agency - Nigerian Artist creates his own abstract art form;
Newsweek - African artists across Africa revive the art of the mask;
Hypebeast - Yusuff Aina's Dramatic Paintings Reflect COVID-19 and Police
Brutality in Nigeria;
Artnet - Here Are Emerging Six Artists With New Exhibitions on View
Around the World This Month;
ContemporaryAnd - Yusuff Aina Abogunde: Where we dey go now?;
Exibart - Tra corpo e maschere, per una nuova arte: Yusuff Aina Abogunde ;
Financial Afrik - Nigeria / Yusuff Aina Abogunde : l’art nigérian, une valeur
financière montante ?