Ife Kalejaiye: Connection & Curiosity
Artist Ife Kalejaiye draws inspiration from everyday encounters to create his mixed media portraits. Using charcoal and acrylic on canvas, Ife’s puzzle-like compositions portray men, women, and children in various poses - usually looking directly at the viewer. The connection that is felt while viewing Ife’s portraits is undeniable, and allows us to ponder our own experiences and interactions with those we encounter on a daily basis. In this interview, Ife shares his process and creative journey.
Tell me about your background and where your creative journey began.
Growing up in a family of creatives, I have always been fascinated by how you can create something distinct and beautiful out of a blank sheet. So I can say my creative journey started at a very young age by drawing some fun characters from TV shows and playbook. It wasn’t until 2017 that I began my career as an artist when I was in my 2nd year at college while studying chemistry. Art is what I enjoy doing a lot, I just have commit myself fully into it.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I find my inspiration from multiple sources. Mostly thoughts of happenings around me and my love for expressions. Ideas can be sprung up by anything around you. I do spend a lot of time thinking about and visualizing the achievability of an idea, gathering resources and components to use as reference for the artwork. I love to represent the human figure in puzzles, as it is not even and of the same depth, the same as life experiences. My intention in creating art is to portray the tussle and ordeal of the typical human as a product of their society, a story I am always eager and inspired to relay until it's no longer needed be told, of which such expectation is unarguably a castle in the air. I believe this can help people conceptualize their space by looking inward to realize how unique we are amid our struggles while holding the belief that we all have a common ground.
How has your work shifted and evolved over time?
I started off drawing just the portrait of human figures mostly through commissions, but with an ardent desire of wanting to do more by enacting my creativity. I experimented with new ideas and mediums which gives me the ability to merge my curiosity and factualness. My work is still very much evolving as I am open to trying out more mediums and incorporating more of them into my work.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you, and how has your art practice grown or changed?
In the studio I take time to reflect on previous work I have done, write down ideas and do some rough sketch on those ideas. When on break I ponder mediums that best fit those ideas and I do a lot of experimentations as I like to challenge my creative process. There is always music around to cancel out distractions.
Which experiences have impacted your work as an artist?
I really cannot point to particular events or experiences that have impacted my work. I have not been privileged to go far and wide, but I’m inspired by my day to day encounters with people, happenings in my environment and the world as a whole. I get to experience things on daily basis which definitely has an impact on my works and are one of the factors that have fueled my growth as an artist. Although the series of events that happened in 2020 has impacted almost everyone.
How has Instagram impacted your art career?
Instagram is such a great place to showcase your works as artist. It is so gratifying to share the process and to be able to meet and follow artists from around the world and I can find inspiration and connect with their styles and it gives me something to aspire to. It has given me the platform to project my work within the reach of art collectors, galleries, e.t.c which has really helped my career greatly.
What are your future goals and aspirations?
I am concentrating on pushing my artwork and continuing to grow by experimenting with different mediums and broadening my knowledge, and building a new body of work. I envisage great opportunities and I am equally preparing for them.
Follow Ife on Instagram: @ife_kalejaiye