In a new exhibition this autumn, The Studio – Staging Desire, Autograph will present never-before-seen works by artist Rotimi Fani-Kayode. From 1983 until his death in 1989, the artist lived and worked in Brixton, where his studio transcended into a sanctuary visualising black queer self-expression. His masterfully staged and crafted portraits, sometimes quietly monochromatic and at other times rich in saturated colour, stand as powerful, resolutely ambiguous, visual statements. At the core of Fani-Kayode’s practice is an important emphasis on the cultural politics of difference.
In response to the show, artist Alexander Ikhide will lead an intimate workshop expanding on the possibilities of self-expression. Ikhide’s mixed media works blend photography, collage and illustration to explore the body, identity, and the unconscious through abstract expressionism and symbolism.
Surrounded by the exhibition, participants will draw inspiration from Rotimi’s work and visual references within nature to create a surreal and symbolic self portrait that connects with spirituality and desire through abstract shape, colour, and physical form. They will also get an exclusive look at works within the collection that are not included in the exhibition.
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