‘How I made art out of bra straps’

Janet Adebayo Adenike is a Lagos-based artist who has exhibited her work at the Bedmate showroom in Lagos. In this interview, she talks about inventing a new type of canvas, how art helped her overcome grief, and more. Excerpts:   You started out as a pencil artist. What drew you to acrylic painting? I expanded […]

Janet Adebayo Adenike is a Lagos-based artist who has exhibited her work at the Bedmate showroom in Lagos. In this interview, she talks about inventing a new type of canvas, how art helped her overcome grief, and more. Excerpts:

 

You started out as a pencil artist. What drew you to acrylic painting?

I expanded to acrylics because some of my clients commissioned me to do it. Eventually, I did it more often than the pencil sketch. Doing this has helped me grow. It has expanded my horizon.

What was your experience like exhibiting your work at the Bedmate showroom, Lagos?

It was awesome. I met other great artists and art lovers. I met the likes of The Junk Man from Afrika, Olujimi Adebayo Solanke, Dare Adenuga, OsaruObaseki, AwodiyaToluwani Samson, AkintayoAkintobi, and other participants. I was motivated and it literally widened my network in the art world.

What challenges did you encounter working on your exhibition pieces?

I had problems deciding the method of bra strap intertwining to use. There are many methods and I just couldn’t decide the best one to adopt. I also had transportation problem. I had to look for the best way to transport my biggest work without ruining it. It really wasn’t easy.

What is the bra strap technique all about?

I believe waste can come in any form, directly or indirectly. I observed that there are elastic bra straps around anytime I take a walk on my street. People throw away unwanted bras with tough, beautiful and valuable elastic straps. This should not be encouraged. So, I thought about how to make them useful. The minute I got back home, I removed some of my bra straps and intertwined them. I pulled at it to test its strength, and behold, they were even stronger than my canvas.

I tasked myself to find out the major cause of this waste for future reference and visited two popular markets in Lagos. I interviewed women who sell bras. I discovered that we one way or the other encourage waste because we think they are no longer pretty or useful. I wanted to change that so I gathered some bra straps, washed and dried them. I got a stronger stretcher and began matting a strap onto another. This was quite challenging but turned out awesome. Painting on the matted straps may be optional knowing that it’s another way to communicate to people. I made a video of this technique which is sure interesting to watch.

We really need to encourage recycling in Nigeria and that is what I have tried to do by replacing my canvas with intertwined bra straps. If we can control waste at the point of entry, then I should be able to control it with my creativity after entry.

How did your journey as an artist begin?

It began in 2015 when I saw a beautiful pencil work. I told myself I can actually try this. I did and it came out nice, although it lacked a professional touch. That made me want to do more. So, I decided to enrol as an apprentice with Double RR Art Gallery located in Onihale, Ogun State.

Returning back to school in 2016 to complete my Higher National Diploma in Food Technology, I started doing commissioned work. This helped to fund my stay in school, especially in my final year. After I completed my studies in 2018, I came back home to establish myself before NYSC. This first idea was painting with foam, waste from foam, simply because my dad is a furniture maker and he stores a lot of waste foam in the house.

I was super excited to do this work and showcase it, especially to my brother because he always had my back. I wanted to surprise him with that invention so he would know his sister is passionate about her work and growing. Unfortunately, he died during his National Youth Service Corp in Bauchi State, a week after that invention. He was my only sibling. Depression set in for a long time and left me almost inactive because I lost my inspiration and motivator. I started engaging in other activities to help me deal with grief. I eventually got back on my feet and worked on the use of foam waste to create art. I was able to do a beautiful painting I named ‘Pulchritude’. I love this piece so dearly. Art is really a good form of self-expressing. It helped me with my grief.

The major challenge I have had since I started making art are criticisms from some male artistes. I don’t know if it’s because they feel threatened by women, but they are not very accepting.

What inspires your art generally?

My love for creativity inspires my art. I wanted to choose a high-level craft that isn’t mediocre. I didn’t want the regular like bead making, cake making or tailoring. I wanted something more and extraordinary which would be a higher resolution of creativity. That drive is what inspires my art every day. The resolve to be extraordinary.

What is the most challenging piece you have worked on so far and why?

The bra strap intertwining is the hardest piece I have ever worked on. That is simply because it looked unachievable at first. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea until I was determined enough to make it work.

What would you say is your greatest challenge as an artist?

My greatest challenge as an artist is the low acceptance of the value of art in Nigeria. Art is not valued much and that is a problem for artistes. Also, work balance is a challenge for me. It is hard balancing being a food technologist alongside art.

What’s your favourite part of being an artist?

Being an artist has made me very expressive. It has also opened my mind to various views about life. I am now open-minded. It has made me realise that every step-in life has to be taken with creativity.

What is that advice you got that has stuck with you?

Janet, never stop painting. You will gain a lot more in art no matter what your challenge is.