London / Visual Artist

LAKIN OGUNBANWO: A MEETING POINT OF IDENTITIES

For Lakin Ogunbanwo, the creative process is an act of self-observation. Once known primarily as a photographer, the Nigerian artist is now expanding into collage and writing, refusing to define his practice too neatly. While his work often travels to European markets, Lakin remains firmly rooted in the cultural logic of his home, viewing the Western art world as a marketplace rather than a source of belonging. We spoke with the London-based creative about the power of staying curious, the nuances of Yorubaness, and why true authenticity comes from creating for your own community first, while letting the rest of the world simply bear witness.

"My authenticity comes from staying rooted in where my work originates — my community, my people, my cultural logic."

AKUA STUDIOS:

What do you do?

LAKIN:

What I do today isn't a straightforward answer. Five years ago, I would have easily said I'm a photographer. Now, I'm exploring other mediums, mainly collage and writing, and allowing myself to expand without rushing to define it too neatly.

"Sharing the work is what makes me an artist. When something leaves my head and exists in the world, and someone else engages with it, that exchange completes the process."

AKUA STUDIOS:

What drives your creative practice?

LAKIN:

What drives my creative practice happens in two folds. First, I make work to understand and observe myself and my existence. It's a very human instinct to make, to be curious, to try to understand by doing. Second, sharing the work is what makes me an artist. When something leaves my head and exists in the world, and someone else engages with it, that exchange completes the process.

Both parts are what sustain my creative practice.

"In just a few paragraphs, I could see my humour, wit, musicality, culture, my Nigerianess, my Yorubaness, all present at once, without dilution."

AKUA STUDIOS:

Was there a moment when your work gave space to an aspect of your identity that is often unseen or overlooked?

LAKIN:

Recently, I wrote an unpublished essay where multiple parts of my identity showed up together in a way I hadn't experienced in other mediums. In just a few paragraphs, I could see my humour, wit, musicality, culture, my Nigerianess, my Yorubaness, all present at once, without dilution. It felt like a meeting point of identities that usually appear separately in my photography or collage work.

"So the barrier, for me, is the expectation to seek validation or belonging in spaces that weren't built with me in mind."

"Ultimately, the work is for humans. If it resonates deeply with my people and sparks curiosity or wonder in others, then I've done my job."

AKUA STUDIOS:

What barriers have you encountered in European creative spaces, and how have you maintained your authenticity?

LAKIN:

I want to say this carefully. The European, and broader Western, market isn't a place I look to for resonance. I see it first as a marketplace, and that framing helps me navigate it without compromising myself.

Growing up in Nigeria shaped that; being seen and understood at home is what matters to me. So the barrier, for me, is the expectation to seek validation or belonging in spaces that weren't built with me in mind. My authenticity comes from staying rooted in where my work originates — my community, my people, my cultural logic. If the work travels to Europe and still connects with others, I'm grateful. Ultimately, the work is for humans. If it resonates deeply with my people and sparks curiosity or wonder in others, then I've done my job.

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