Oil and acrylic on wood panels, 18” x 24”

Ìlú Bàbá (meaning ‘fatherland’ or ‘hometown’), is an exploration of the nostalgia for a homeland never physically experienced: a place deeply rooted in my heritage yet so distant in my personal history. This quadriptych delves into the complexities of identity, belonging, and the diasporic yearning for a connection to one’s ancestral land. By building up the forms of the composition with washes of acrylic paint, the paintings allude to an imagined landscape — one that has been built up in the mind in a similar manner. Everything is present but lacks the permanence of the harsh line.

A fantastical color palette depicts a river near my father’s home state, filled with a myriad of objects not found there by nature. The floating raft, carved shrines, devil’s weed (ewé Akíntọ́lá), hearts of Jesus, and a blood red sun all serve as bridges to a heritage that is both intimately known and unfamiliar. This piece is a manifestation of the quest for identity amongst individuals in the diaspora—how we shape it for ourselves from fragmented stories and memories in hopes that, collectively, they could create a fuller picture.

Grace is a 21-year-old Nigerian visual artist and designer with a deep, ever-growing love for creating. She has been making things for as long as she can remember, developing a range of hobbies—including sewing, crochet, and baking—that allow her to bring tangible, often practical, creations to life. Grace’s work spans multiple mediums, exploring the textures and tactile qualities they offer and the ways they interact. She is passionate about color, using it to create vibrant, visually engaging pieces. Her art delves into themes of identity and culture, highlighting facets of life and inherited memory as part of the diaspora.