Leeds School of Arts graduate’s work celebrated in national campaign

We caught up with Ike to talk about how she’s developed as an artist since starting at Leeds Beckett, how she became an Artist in Residence, and what she plans to do next.

When did you study at Leeds School of Arts, and what do you think you learnt during that time?
I studied fine art at LBU from 2017 to 2020, and it was quite the journey. Everything I believed I knew about art and my practice was thrown out the window, as there was so much I wasn’t exposed to prior to this.                                                                                            
Your work speaks for itself, but how you as the artist speak about it greatly influences how it is perceived amongst your audience. This was the most important thing I learnt during this period. You can make something as a joke, but if you speak about it (and contextualise it) like its ground-breaking, then people are more likely to view it as such. However, knowing this doesn’t make it easy to do.

Have your influences changed since starting university?
My influences have definitely changed since then. I sort of gave up on art for a while after I graduated, now that I’m back at it, my influences have changed a couple of times already. 
As a person I’m quite unorganised and always trying to do everything simultaneously. Now that I’ve figured out what I want to do, I’m learning to focus on one thing at a time. 

Your work has a clear focus on Nigerian culture, and the position of women within that cultural frame. What impact do you hope your work has on those viewing it – both in Nigeria and in other parts of the world? 
Recently, I’ve decided to let my work go beyond that. While it’s still similar in nature, I’ve been exploring themes of intimacy, vulnerability, and nonconformity with a focus on the Black and LGBTQ+ communities.                                                                                                            
I want people to look at my work and feel the emotion put into it. I also want certain people to feel seen and to know that their existence isn’t a sin. I also want to make people uncomfortable, and make them ask themselves ‘why does this upset me?’

You’ve been chosen as an artist-in-residence for Clear Channel and Pocc’s Black History Month campaign – how did this commission come about?
It’s actually funny how this came to be. I saw the call for artists on Instagram and decided to apply on the same day. A couple of days later I got a rejection email and I refused to acknowledge it – I even deleted it from my inbox. The following weekend, I get an email saying I’ve been selected. It still feels surreal to be honest, there are days I even forget that this actually happened.

What do you have planned next? Do you have any exciting commissions on the horizon?
While I’m open for commissions, I’m actually focused on building my portfolio and I’m aiming to have my first solo exhibition by February 2022.

You can follow Ike on Instagram @Ikegallery and see further examples of her work on her website https://ike.gallery/