Words by Joshua Neicho
Abdulrazaq Awofeso came to Erdington in 2021 on a Global Talent visa, establishing both his home and art studio in the constituency.
An acclaimed Nigerian artist, born in Lagos, he speaks of his pride in his new home and how he helps to clear up wood waste in the city through his art.
“I love the ambience [in Erdington] and because of the diverse community, one could easily integrate there,” he says. “Erdington is central and accessible… I love visiting the High Street. I also visit Erdington Leisure Centre where my daughter goes for swimming lessons.”
Two of his siblings live nearby, with a third in Braintree in Essex, and Awofeso has established a strong network of friends among Brum’s growing Nigerian diaspora – getting involved in community life.
“We’ve created our own activities in our group socially – support structures, avenues for jobs, sharing information,” he says. “We do events and try and culturally bring our own vibes into these.” For the culinary curious, Awofeso recommends the Nigerian restaurant, ÉKO 77, in Kingstanding.
Awofeso has had exhibitions on simultaneously at the Midlands Art Centre (MAC) in Birmingham and London’s Ed Cross Fine Art, presenting his new commission ‘Okrika’ – wooden sculptures representing clothing items, displayed on wire hangers flat against a wall. Many bear logos of luxury and sportswear brands, from Dior to D&G and Fila to Puma.
Commissioned by the South Birmingham arts centre, and on tour with the Design Museum, Awofeso’s ‘Okrika’ is on display as part of the Waste Age: What can design do? at MAC until Sunday 23 February.
The work refers to Nigerian second-hand clothing markets, named Okrika, where fashion-conscious Nigerians can pick up used designer items imported from Europe or the US. Okrika are alternatively known as akube (“second hand” in Igbo), Tokunbo (“from the sea” in Yoruba) or ‘bend-down boutiques’.
The material for Awofeso’s work comes from wooden pallets he “picks up anywhere,” driving around Erdington and wider Birmingham looking out for the waste wood left in industrial areas.
Once he’s gone through the process of taking out the nails and physically dismantling the pallets, only some are durable enough and look right to use for artwork. Then he gets down to sanding and cutting strips to size. In a day’s scouting for material, Awofeso might take 20 pallets and end up using about 60% of them.
Awofeso has been using wooden pallets as the exclusive medium for his art since a formative time 15 years ago when he was living in Johannesburg, South Africa. He had enrolled in a sculpture workshop, which led to him transitioning from being a painter to a sculptor who also painted.
Awofeso was also fundraising for Greenpeace which had just set up an office in the city, and remembers that across from the workshop, “staring at me everyday”, was a transportation park full of discarded pallets. He says: “I felt I could do something with them – I thought I could easily make an impact.”
Outside of his artwork, Awofeso is also personally a fan of vintage items and eclectic accessories made of natural materials – he owns watches with straps crafted from wood and stone, spectacles made from bamboo, and he drives an electric vehicle hoping the government with further incentivise people to make the shift from petrol to electric.
He is, however, unwilling to call himself an activist. “I’m not going to be made an authority on environmental matters; I want to be an artist. I can’t determine the good way to live for everyone… For me, I feel I should control my own quota”.
Abdulrazaq Awofeso first exhibited his work using pallets during the 2010 World Cup at the hit exhibition Space Currencies in Contemporary African Art, curated by Thembinkosi Goniwe, at Museum Afrika in Johannesburg.
He has since addressed a range of political, social, and religious themes in his art – particularly connecting the idea of moving goods with human migration, since all the pallets he uses have been in transit themselves.
Recent UK based exhibitions have included Out of Frame at the Ikon Gallery in 2022, with colourfully painted wooden portraits plus his work ‘Avalanche of Calm’ – a diorama of 3000 miniature wooden figures under clouds. He also exhibited ‘Broad Streets’ at Ed Cross in London last year, with figures and scenes based on people Awofeso encountered on the streets bearing that name in both Birmingham and Lagos.
He has exhibited internationally too, including in Rome and Brazil, and has work in the British Government Art Collection and the Luciano Benetton inspired Imago Mundi Collection – as well as and other prominent institutional and private collections across the globe.
“I’ve always been in transit,” says Awofeso, comparing his own journey to that of the pallets he uses. “Do whatever comes from your heart. Do what you have to do, and the world will adjust”.
Abdulrazaq Awafeso talking about his recent commission ‘Okrika’ from his Erdington studio
Abdulrazaq Awafeso’s work can be currently seen in Birmingham at Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), where his piece ‘Okrika’ is on display as part of the Waste Age: What can design do? touring exhibition by the Design Museum – at MAC until Sunday 23 February 2025.
For further details on Waste Age: What can design do? at MAC visit www.macbirmingham.co.uk/exhibitions/waste-age-what-can-design-do
For more on Abdulrazaq Awofeso follow him on Instagram at www.instagram.com/abdulrazaqawofeso
