Art and Verse with Muyiwa Akhigbe
Tell Us About The Man Called Muyiwa Akhigbe.
I am a creator creating art in a style called Abstract Amateurism. This art form helps me channel the mindframe I had when I was seven, reliving my childhood again. It's therapy.
What Do You Mean by Therapy?
I have gone through the educational system, the corporate systems and I've come to realize how much conditioning has happened to me, to us. We are often conditioned and expected to do things the way society seems to fit. Irrespective of its correctness or rightness.
And so, the best way for me to see the world is without the conditioning society has placed on it. I don't like the picture at the end of it. The world is more interesting with a neutral lens.
Do you have an Inspiration That Aids Your Creative Process?
My purpose is to love and to create. I am at my highest form of spirituality when I do those two things.
I met Father Bronques, he has a YouTube channel, and he made me realize that I'm supposed to make Art, not content. His ministry woke me up to the fact that inspiration is not a sustainable fuel for being an artist. You are here to create, so we can't rely on inspiration.
What happens when there is no inspiration? Are we going to drop the Creative's tag?
Which brings me to the next part. You have to come up with a system that allows you to create authentically. Find your method and use it to your own advantage. Apple Music released their top hundred albums of all time, so I decided to do a challenge for myself to reimagine these hundred album arts, and what followed just led me into creating and creating until… *chuckles, we got here.
Do Your Routines Come In The Way Of Your Process Or Are There Other Factors?
My routines are push-ups, tea, creating, before my nine to five.
As for factors, I live with my Dad and Sister, so they already know how they communicate with me.
Do Your Routines Help In Priming Your Environment, Or Rather, What Do You Do To Prime Your Environment For Creating?
I create from the perspective of purpose, I don’t have the luxury of priming my environment/mood to absolute taste because there’ll definitely be times that I’ll find myself not in the best or right environment or mood, but I still have to create nonetheless.
What is Your Opinion on the Creative Economy or Industry?
I feel like we've allowed capitalism to dictate what success in the arts looks like. Which is why we praise an Artist today, and then troll them the moment they decide to explore the boundaries of their creativity in other art forms. We need to give artists more grace basically, which brings me back to the conditioning.
What's your Take on Collaboration, and What Collaborations are you Looking Forward to?
We need each other, we will reach more people when we work with each other and support ourselves more. I am looking forward to collaborating with more digital and 2d artists.
What is your Overreacting Goal for Your Work?
I want people to know that they can be seen.
Has Your Partner Been a Muse For You?
Definitely. She has, and will continue to be.
And How Does That Affect Your Work?
Having someone who supports you and gives you space to be yourself, encourages you. It in fact, pushes me to be better.
What Are Your Top Three Projects?
The first project is titled #100Artworksfor100days.
Interesting name, I know. This project led me to create a system that helped me create consistently. Different art styles, different subject matters. All I needed to do was show up.
The second is Colour Me Grey.
This project lets me know that feelings are raw and should be acknowledged without being polished. There should be no need for acceptability and aesthetics. Art can be anything. It could be your feelings, your thoughts, the things only you can picture. Art is neither black nor white.
The third is Monalisan.
This painting… I love this painting.
Art is taking in a new form, different from its previous stereotypes, and Muyiwa Akhigbe is bringing this art, a newer form of art to our doorsteps.
You can reach him on Instagram @Muyiverse.