Artist Statement

In my practice, I utilise drawing and paper collage that deploy discarded fragments of papers from magazines, newspapers, and other printed sources, as critical tools for telling stories that explore memory, identity, material culture, and environmental responsibility. These materials serve as markers of social values and economic systems, and are useful in examining the politics of identity and behavioural formation in contemporary society. I take a particular interest in studying the connections between humans, animals, and objects. An interest that is often triggered by unconscious observations of natural instincts such as a smile, a frown, a moment of anger, or the rhythm of speech. This interest compels me to imagine how human traits mirror those of animals or inanimate forms. These contemplations are the mechanisms driving my creative process, and helping me create visual hybrids of human forms animal and object elements that reveal the fluidity of boundaries that tend to separate humanity, nature, and materiality.

Collage is very significant in my studio exploration as both a material and a conceptual process. It helps me to create works that negotiate the connection between the personal and the collective, the past and the present—works that function as cultural texts and reflect the character and emotion of human entanglement with the material world. I take Environmental responsibility very seriously in my practice, and therefore, dedicate my work to addressing the issues of environmental sustainability and material lifespans. I also explore material innovation within a broader context of consumption, ecology, and identity.

Artist Practice

Armstrong Oke Agoreyo’s artistic practice is anchored on the mediums of drawing and paper collage. He works with pieces of old magazines, newspapers, and other printed material, and uses these materials as a conceptual tool to discuss the broader issues of memory, identity, material culture, and environmental responsibility, negotiating the connecting points between the personal and the collective, the historical and the contemporary—a reminder of the impact of art in shaping the social, material, and ecological dynamics of human existence. Agoreyo’s approach to studio exploration also reframes refuse as a site of knowledge production and artistic inquiry. This is evident in his ability to reclaim discarded materials as cultural artefacts, and interrogate consumption patterns and material values of mediums. His studio exploration focuses primarily on the connections between humans, animals, and inanimate forms—a creative strategy that is born out of his sustained observations of human behaviour—such as gestures, expressions, and speech rhythms. This observation resulted in the creation of hybrid forms of human, animal, and inanimate objects that highlight the fluidity of human coexistence with natural elements in its environment. The hybridised works are also a reminder of the concept of posthuman perspectives that challenge anthropocentric assumptions and highlight the interconnectedness of biological, social, and material systems. By foregrounding hybridity and interconnection, Agoreyo’s art critiques rigid categorical distinctions and proposes alternative ways of understanding identity as a dynamic and relational process.

Environmental responsibility is also of interest to Agoreyo in his artistic methodology, as he addresses the impact of waste in the environment by using discarded paper materials to highlight the significance of recycling in his practice. His works explore renewal processes of production, onsumption, discard, and re-signification. In this way, he contributes to the debates within environmental humanities and material studies, positioning his art as a site for ecological reflection and intervention.

Agoreyo’s educational background in Fine Art at the University of Benin and his MFA training at the University of Derby has prepared him for his research-oriented approach to studio practice. His national and international exhibitions at Cipriarte Venezia Gallery in Venice, Artcore Gallery in the United Kingdom, and Thought Pyramid Art Gallery in Nigeria, speak of his transnationality within the art circuits and underscore his engagement with both local and global artistic discourses. Awards such as Art is Everywhere Prize at LIMCAF and the Banks Mill Award further acknowledge his contributions to material innovation and waste-based artistic practice. As a mentor and educator, Agoreyo stretches his practice beyond studio production to include interest in harnessing the creative abilities of emerging artists and properly channelling them to the right creative paths. His practice is a good example of one who is inclined to conceptual rigour, material experimentation, and social responsibility, positioning him as a significant voice in contemporary African art and global discussions on sustainability, posthumanism, and material culture.