Ije .
- Work
- Biography
Ije (eejay): A British/Nigerian artist-healer. I have a nomadic art practice using painting, sculpture, installation, photography, and words to express a sensuous exploration of metaphysical and material realities. Despite challenges I am physically engaged in encounters with landscape, the elements, and my making.
My sensuous practice draws on a lifetime of moving. Moving across the UK and beyond exploring landscapes, from wild spaces of mountains and coastlines, to mining and farming communities to industrial towns and cities. Moving through, exploring energy transference, rhythms of time and smooth spaces. Photographs, video and audio recordings initially capture glimpses of these, leading on to artworks that are energetic and textured with inclusions of found/repurposed/manufactured materials reflecting the feelings, political resonance, and sensuousness of my encounters.
I am an artist: I am a writer, an explorer, a poet, painter and photographer, a creator and a healer. I am a sculptor, an adventurer, a walker and a runner, a performer, thinker and catalyst. I look towards, I look onto, I look through and on the face of things; I encounter, touch, feel, remember, imagine, and fabricate.
I am a prolific maker, working across several lines of enquiry concurrently; predominantly self-taught, I have a master’s degree in fine art, from Birmingham City University (2016) and am an active Outside In artist and Ambassador, being a member of the Midlands and National Advisory Groups.
I won the “Chameleon Arts Prize” in 2019 (Surface Gallery, Nottingham), leading to my first large-scale solo exhibition in 2020.
I have artworks in
My sensuous practice draws on a lifetime of moving. Moving across the UK and beyond exploring landscapes, from wild spaces of mountains and coastlines, to mining and farming communities to industrial towns and cities. Moving through, exploring energy transference, rhythms of time and smooth spaces. Photographs, video and audio recordings initially capture glimpses of these, leading on to artworks that are energetic and textured with inclusions of found/repurposed/manufactured materials reflecting the feelings, political resonance, and sensuousness of my encounters.
I am an artist: I am a writer, an explorer, a poet, painter and photographer, a creator and a healer. I am a sculptor, an adventurer, a walker and a runner, a performer, thinker and catalyst. I look towards, I look onto, I look through and on the face of things; I encounter, touch, feel, remember, imagine, and fabricate.
I am a prolific maker, working across several lines of enquiry concurrently; predominantly self-taught, I have a master’s degree in fine art, from Birmingham City University (2016) and am an active Outside In artist and Ambassador, being a member of the Midlands and National Advisory Groups.
I won the “Chameleon Arts Prize” in 2019 (Surface Gallery, Nottingham), leading to my first large-scale solo exhibition in 2020.
I have artworks in
Ije is a visual artist and healer with a nomadic practice and a successful holistic therapies business.
An Outside In artist, and member of their National and Midlands Artist Advisory Groups; Trustee for Coventry ArtSpace 2020-2023, she is predominantly self-taught with MA Fine Art 2016, Birmingham City University.
Ije won The Chameleon Arts Prize 2019 at Surface Gallery (Nottingham, UK) – a large gallery solo exhibition in 2020.
In 2022 they were on the selection panel for HUMANITY - Outside In national exhibition 2023; exhibition judged by Bob and Roberta Smith 9-31 Jan 2023 at Sotheby’s, London.
Examples of exhibition/performance/curation/publications
C.A.S.E. The Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry; Feb/Mar 2024
ING DISCERNING EYE Mall Galleries, London; Nov 2023
RUGBY OPEN EXHIBITION 2023 Rugby Art Gallery, Rugby; Nov 2023/Feb 2024 (also 2017 to 2022)
GRASRUTSZINE #3: THE YELLOW ONE published Aug 2023
8th ANNUAL COLORFUL ABSTRACTIONS EXHIBITION Fusion Art, Santa Fe, USA; Jan/Mar 2023
PROGRESSION D Contemporary, London; Jul/Aug 2022
ENCOUNTERS (3 artists) Floor One Gallery, Rugby; Jul/Aug 2022
HOWDEN GROUP/OUTSIDE IN PARTNERSHIP EXHIBITION, One Creechurch Place, London; May/Sep 2022
BEAUTY and CHAOS: A DigiPoems Exhibition (Curator) Arcadia Gallery, Coventry; Oct 2021 (BBC Contains Strong Language / Writing West Midlands / British Council / Page Poetry Alive, Zimbabwe / Comexposed, Zimbabwe /Coventry City of Culture 2021)
MULTIPLICITY OF US: (7Afro-descendant artists) Arcadia Gallery, Coventry; Jul/Aug 2021
Cultivate Presents: ALRIGHT? Cultivate Gallery; Mar/Apr 2021
OPEN 21: Queen Street Gallery, Neath; Online exhibition Feb/Jul 2021; exhibition Aug 2021
COVENTRY MADE ME (short film) commissioned by Coventry University & University of Warwick; release Nov 2020
An Outside In artist, and member of their National and Midlands Artist Advisory Groups; Trustee for Coventry ArtSpace 2020-2023, she is predominantly self-taught with MA Fine Art 2016, Birmingham City University.
Ije won The Chameleon Arts Prize 2019 at Surface Gallery (Nottingham, UK) – a large gallery solo exhibition in 2020.
In 2022 they were on the selection panel for HUMANITY - Outside In national exhibition 2023; exhibition judged by Bob and Roberta Smith 9-31 Jan 2023 at Sotheby’s, London.
Examples of exhibition/performance/curation/publications
C.A.S.E. The Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry; Feb/Mar 2024
ING DISCERNING EYE Mall Galleries, London; Nov 2023
RUGBY OPEN EXHIBITION 2023 Rugby Art Gallery, Rugby; Nov 2023/Feb 2024 (also 2017 to 2022)
GRASRUTSZINE #3: THE YELLOW ONE published Aug 2023
8th ANNUAL COLORFUL ABSTRACTIONS EXHIBITION Fusion Art, Santa Fe, USA; Jan/Mar 2023
PROGRESSION D Contemporary, London; Jul/Aug 2022
ENCOUNTERS (3 artists) Floor One Gallery, Rugby; Jul/Aug 2022
HOWDEN GROUP/OUTSIDE IN PARTNERSHIP EXHIBITION, One Creechurch Place, London; May/Sep 2022
BEAUTY and CHAOS: A DigiPoems Exhibition (Curator) Arcadia Gallery, Coventry; Oct 2021 (BBC Contains Strong Language / Writing West Midlands / British Council / Page Poetry Alive, Zimbabwe / Comexposed, Zimbabwe /Coventry City of Culture 2021)
MULTIPLICITY OF US: (7Afro-descendant artists) Arcadia Gallery, Coventry; Jul/Aug 2021
Cultivate Presents: ALRIGHT? Cultivate Gallery; Mar/Apr 2021
OPEN 21: Queen Street Gallery, Neath; Online exhibition Feb/Jul 2021; exhibition Aug 2021
COVENTRY MADE ME (short film) commissioned by Coventry University & University of Warwick; release Nov 2020
- Ije .
- I RELEASE MY COLOURS DIBIA (WARRIOR)
- Mixed Media
- Ije .
- IRMC SURVIVOR 2: BLACK JOY
- Acrylic
- Ije .
- IRMC EMEGHI IFELE (UNDISGUISED)
- Mixed Media
- Ije .
- IRMC MENOPAUSED
- Mixed Media
- Ije .
- FOLDS WHORLS SURFACES SPACES 1
- Mixed Media
- Ije .
- PERDURANCE 19: MOMENTS OF ENTANGLEMENT 2
- Installation
- Ije .
- PERDURANCE 18: MMIRI MMIRI
- Installation
- Ije .
- SUCCESSION OF REMEMBERED SYMMETRIES: ORIENTATIONS OF SELFHOOD
- Mixed Media
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