Faustin Adeniran
Sculptor
Part mosaic, part assemblage, Adeniran’s works feature fields of dazzling color crafted from an array of media to mourn the loss of traditional African cultural practices and natural resources. The exchange of long-established African social structures for the gradual adaptation of Western ideas and influences are what Adeniran describes as ‘transcendent assimilation.’ Ultimately, Adeniran’s work is about hope and beauty, his love and appreciation for humanity and environmental justice, and the collective loss that occurs when those cultural values are discarded. We would do well to consider his adage, “If you want to learn about a society, look at what it throws away.”
Adeniran has spent the last seven years in New Haven, Connecticut, creating three-dimensional works that defy categorization. Detritus is Adeniran’s medium, and his works discuss elements of Nigeria’s historical and present-day challenges often overlooked or discarded because they are inconvenient and somewhat uncomfortable. Adeniran is from the Yoruba tribe, one of the three main indigenous groups in Nigeria. Embedded in his works are references to Yoruba and broader Nigerian culture, racial and tribal conflict, and the complicated history of African colonialism. Faustin is a certified Contemporary Artist for the African Artist Foundation and a Member of the Centre of Contemporary Art, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Faustin’s works have been featured in international exhibitions in Nigeria and France as well as exhibitions across the Northeast USA, including the Empire State Building, NY; Highline Loft Gallery in Chelsea, NY; Ely Center for Contemporary Arts in New Haven, CT, Mehari Gallery in Washington DC and Pulse Artfair in Miami FL.
His work has been featured at artnet news, and most recently, Adeniran was featured in the Washington Post. Faustin studied at the University of Lagos and continues to pursue his passion and expand his body of work at the Adeniran Art Studio based in New Haven, CT, USA.
