Ije .
- Work
- Biography
Ije (eejay) – I am of British/Nigerian heritage. Originally from Scotland, I have lived my adult life in England. My sensuous practice draws on a lifetime of moving, exploring landscapes, from wild spaces of mountains and coastlines, to mining and farming communities to industrial towns and cities. Moving with energy, with colour, with rhythms of time. Moving amongst smooth spaces.
Currently working as a freelance visual artist and healer, I am a prolific maker, creating nomadically across several lines of enquiry concurrently, 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 then in my making; utilising oil and acrylic paint as a vehicle to integrate/expose sensuous materials such as velvet, swarf, glass and metal.
I have artworks in private and corporate collections in the UK, China, France, Ireland and Norway. I am an Outside In artist and Ambassador.
Predominantly self-taught, I entered formal arts education in 2012 gaining a Dip Fine Art, then MA Fine Art 2016, at Birmingham City University.
In 2019 I won The Chameleon Arts Prize, Surface Gallery (Nottingham) leading to a large-scale, whole gallery solo exhibition in 2020.
Currently working as a freelance visual artist and healer, I am a prolific maker, creating nomadically across several lines of enquiry concurrently, 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 then in my making; utilising oil and acrylic paint as a vehicle to integrate/expose sensuous materials such as velvet, swarf, glass and metal.
I have artworks in private and corporate collections in the UK, China, France, Ireland and Norway. I am an Outside In artist and Ambassador.
Predominantly self-taught, I entered formal arts education in 2012 gaining a Dip Fine Art, then MA Fine Art 2016, at Birmingham City University.
In 2019 I won The Chameleon Arts Prize, Surface Gallery (Nottingham) leading to a large-scale, whole gallery solo exhibition in 2020.
Ije (eejay) is a visual artist-healer exploring metaphysical and material realities expressed through a sensuous, nomadic arts practice. Her creations are fabrications of sensuous energetic memories.
Outside In artist, and member of National and Midlands Artist Advisory Groups; Trustee for Coventry ArtSpace 2020-2023; predominantly self-taught gaining MA Fine Art 2016, Birmingham City University.
1st large gallery solo exhibition 2020 as winner of The Chameleon Arts Prize 2019 (Surface Gallery, Nottingham, UK).
2022 selector for HUMANITY - Outside In national exhibition 2023; exhibition judged by Bob and Roberta Smith 9-31 Jan 2023, 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 at 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. (painting acquired for Howden collection)
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; Nov 2020
Outside In artist, and member of National and Midlands Artist Advisory Groups; Trustee for Coventry ArtSpace 2020-2023; predominantly self-taught gaining MA Fine Art 2016, Birmingham City University.
1st large gallery solo exhibition 2020 as winner of The Chameleon Arts Prize 2019 (Surface Gallery, Nottingham, UK).
2022 selector for HUMANITY - Outside In national exhibition 2023; exhibition judged by Bob and Roberta Smith 9-31 Jan 2023, 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 at 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. (painting acquired for Howden collection)
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; Nov 2020
- Ije .
- I RELEASE MY COLOURS DIKE (WARRIOR)
- Painting
- Ije .
- STILL LIFE: TRACKS TRAILS AND TREACHERY AROUND THE LOCH
- Performance
- Ije .
- IRMC EMEGHI IFELE (UNDISGUISED)
- Painting
- Ije .
- MENOPAUSED 1
- Painting
- Ije .
- FOLDS WHORLS SURFACES SPACES 1
- Mixed Media
- Ije .
- PERDURANCE 19: MOMENTS OF ENTANGLEMENT 2
- Installation
- Ije .
- PERDURANCE 30: WHEN THE SKIN IS LOST THE WORLD UNFURLS
- Installation
- Ije .
- SUCCESSION OF REMEMBERED SYMMETRIES: ORIENTATIONS OF SELFHOOD
- Mixed Media
SHARE THIS PAGE