Writer, Iyanuoluwa Adenle interviews Wale Matuluko, artist, on the occasion of his first solo exhibition, Masquerada.

Since 2018, Lagos based artist, Wale Matuluko has explored the contemporaneity of masquerade culture and how it may benefit from being thought of as more than a relic tied to outdated spiritual philosophies. For Masquerada, Matuluko presents nine artworks, two of which are text-based posters, created over a period of two years. The exhibition explores his artistic process; early influences and ongoing research on masquerades, human consciousness and artificial intelligence. In this conversation on November 20, 2021, Wale Matuluko and Iyanuoluwa Adenle discuss the works and themes of his solo exhibition Masquerada, on view at No Parking Lagos from November 20 to December 5, 2021. They also discussed Matuluko being shortlisted for the Kuenyehia Prize for Contemporary Art in 2020 and his desire to learn Arabic in the future.

Wale Matuluko is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He is interested in demystifying myths and stereotypes with his works. Early in life, Matuluko started drawing, painting, and illustrating as a way to explore his ideas. To pursue this interest, he studied at the University of Lagos, Nigeria and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Arts. His fine artwork is largely concerned with African spirituality and its place in the modern world. This can be observed in the artist’s contemporary explorations of masquerades within a futuristic context in the ongoing series Masquerada. The posters reflect the artist's way of exploring the evolution of African spirituality in a tech-ruled world.

In 2018, his works featured at a group exhibition in Gutstein Gallery, Georgia, USA.

Iyanuoluwa Adenle: What are your early influences? How did you get into art? What artists piqued your interest once you got into art?

Wale Matuluko: I have always sketched a lot right from when I was a child but I always saw art from the utilitarian perspective. In secondary school I took visual arts classes. We were taught about the history of art, we studied works from Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance and different time periods, artists like Yusuf Grillo were also referenced. Based on what I consumed at that time, I wasn't immediately pushed to make art for myself even though I created to keep myself company sometimes. As I got older and saw a lot of what other contemporary artists were making, I was inspired to get into art. Even though I took visual art classes in secondary school and I went to the University of Lagos to study Graphic Design, I didn’t fully develop my interest until I graduated. A memorable event that fueled my interest was in 2017, whilst I was doing my Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programme in Film and Television at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia. [SCAD presented a group exhibition to celebrate the centennial of the birth of eminent painter, educator and storyteller, Jacob Lawrence. The exhibition was titled “Jacob Lawrence: Lines of Influence”.] The works he created and his approach to storytelling was truly inspiring. Storytelling and worldbuilding are also parts of my work that I am very particular about. Jacob Lawrence’s works from The Great Migration series and his ability to vividly capture this time period. I was also inspired by the materials used in the works - tempera paint, gouache, cards, paper, and tempera. He appeared to use whatever was available to him. After seeing this exhibition, I realised that there was also something in the arts for me. I just got inspired by his practice, which was the art of creating stories with everything that you have around you. I visited the library after my encounter with this exhibition and I got a lot of books on Jacob Lawrence, Matisse and contemporary arts in general. There are also other artists like Toyin Ojih Odutola whose visual story-telling I enjoy a lot. I get a lot of inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints, ukiyo-e prints - the colours, shapes, storytelling, characters, and landscapes. I also like Henri Mattisse particularly because his works revolutionised the use of form and colours.

Omooba Olorin (The Prince of Wails), 2019

IA: Congratulations on the opening of Masquerada, your first solo exhibition. Why did you choose to explore African spirituality using masquerades? Tell us about the elements used and the process of creating the works in this project?

WM: For me, it's not so much about exploring spirituality when it comes to the masquerades as they are separate from the posters. The initial idea was to explore the masquerades culture, particularly masquerade design, as an art form rather than a functional concept. Different cultures have different interpretations and functions for their masquerades. For example, some masquerades might serve the function of invoking one’s ancestors, or in other cases, policing society. I think these are very important aspects of masquerade culture but I wanted to separate masquerades from these numerous functions for a moment and explore their aesthetics. Think about it from this perspective: what if masquerade culture remained an important part of the zeitgeist throughout the ages? Imagine, just for the purpose of exploring this perspective on masquerades, a festival like the Eyo Festival, which can be easily identified with Lagos, existing in a more secular society. What if masquerades lasted in the culture as some sort of celebration of the artistry of the people that created the masquerades? Imagine that in present-day Nigeria there were “masquerade galas” where people from prominent families or exclusive masquerade societies exhibited their masquerades? I tried to create the kind of masquerades that would be at such gatherings - focusing on the aesthetic aspects instead of the ritual or ancestor worship aspects of the culture. Except that, I still acknowledge masquerades as objects of legacy and heritage that people keep refining over the years. This is the kind of worldbuilding that went into creating these designs. So it was not so much about the spiritual aspects, it was about exploring masquerades as an art form and perhaps linking them with fashion. Think, a Met Gala for masquerades.

The posters were a result of me trying to turn my jottings into art, in regards to certain ideas about spirituality, consciousness and evolution; the evolution of ideas. A way of finding similarities between the disparate ways in which the majority of people look at life. The posters presented in this exhibition have at most four words and for me, it was a very straightforward way of presenting snapshots of my mental journal to the world by merging my graphic design and fine art skills.

IA: Let’s discuss the elements used in creating the works in your ongoing exhibition.

WM: Designing the masquerade itself is the first step for me. I start by creating a story in my head for several elements that you would normally see in masquerades: the masks and clothing, for example. After creating a realistic sketch, I try to abstract the shapes as much as I can while staying close to a naturalistic form. Beyond that, and most importantly, is the choice of colours. I think colours are a very important aspect of masquerade design. I like when the colours complement and also contrast each other. Masquerades usually have chaotic combinations of colours and I wanted to embody that. I tried to create these masquerades using modern elements, taking inspiration from around the world.

IA: Congratulations on making the shortlist for the Kuenyehia Prize for Contemporary Art in 2020. What has the reception been like?

WM: The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the accompanying ceremonies for the prize. The work that got me shortlisted has not even been shown publicly. The reception will come. The exhibition for the shortlisted artists will take place on December 1st, 2021. I look forward to seeing what will come out of it all but for now, we wait.

IA: Tell us about your ongoing research? What project are you working on at the moment?

WM: To continue building the world of these masquerades and focus more on the themes and visual elements that I really want to explore in my work. It is important for me to get deeper into my practice. I'm looking forward to transitioning into acrylics for the masquerade paintings, whilst using wax pastel for the posters. I am hoping to develop more posters to expand these ideas that I have. I want to build the world through colourful masquerades.

IA: Tell us a random fact about you.

WM: I am fluent in French but I would like to take up Arabic next year.

IA: Thank you very much for your time, Wale.

WM: Thank you for having me.

Click here to view the Catalogue.

In Conversation with Wale Matuluko

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