From his first exhibition in December 2009 at the Elephant House, Ikeja, Lagos, where he did not sell a single work of art, until now, Laolu Sebanjo has gone a long way.
For the visual artist and musician from Nigeria, all Senbanjo, wanted as a kid was happiness and growing up to become someone relevant to the society. While he thought he would grow up to draw comics for Marvel and DC, he ended up at Nike. The American sportswear company has selected him as a Master of Air, which will see him create art-inspired Air Max at the Air Max Con 2016.
Reacting to the news of his selection by Nike, Laolu said: “I’m making my dreams a reality. This is my ayanmo (a Yoruba word for ‘destiny’).
Create your destiny. Let me be your inspiration. Just do it!”
Laolu has one thing working for him: Afromysterics, his style of art developed over the years. Most of the things he draws have a lot to do with
African themes and traditions, hence the name ‘Afromysterics’, which he coined around 2006–2007. It simply means “the mystery of the African
thought pattern”.
The same style informed Nike’s decision to make him a Master of Air, to weave stories through lines and patterns at Air Max Con NYC.
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