White Cube Seoul Opens ‘Immersions’ by Tunji Adeniyi-Jones

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The White Cube Gallery in Seoul is presenting a new collection of paintings by Tunji Adeniyi-Jones for the first time in a solo exhibition called Immersions, which can be seen until February 22, 2025. Born in the UK and currently living in New York, Adeniyi-Jones’ art springs from a unique viewpoint that involves “cultural layering, fusion, and cooperation.” His pieces stir feelings of fantasy and diasporic tales simultaneously.

Drawing on his roots from the Yoruba culture, this artist delves into topics such as African selfhood, identity across continents, and personal freedom through a conversation between representational and abstract art. The figures in his work, characterized by an intricate style that transcends gender, dance gracefully across the canvas. Lines reminiscent of Yoruba scarification and body painting techniques flow throughout, elevating these figures to a threshold where they become symbols, gods, or mythical entities.

Against a setting adorned with lush, winding flowers reminiscent of intricate designs from the arts and crafts era, the background mirrors the dancers’ flow and movement. In this painting, the artist emphasizes dance as a representation of self-expression and its link to multiple aspects of identity, providing a form of defiance against limiting perceptions of Black individuality.

In this latest series, Adeniyi-Jones explores his surroundings in both shape and subject matter with a keen interest. As figures are transformed into multi-layered, abstract arrangements, the artist blends the iridescent hues of Seoul’s fog and the rich meaning of white as a representation of the celestial realm, resulting in dreamlike landscapes brimming with far-reaching cultural references.

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2025-01-13 20:26