In September 2023, Belinda Kazeem-Kami\u0144ski (b. 1980, Vienna) arrived in Lagos to begin her research-focused residency at Yinka Shonibare\u2019s Guest Artist Space (G.A.S.) Foundation after being awarded the inaugural Access ART X Prize (Diaspora). This residency marked a significant moment in her artistic practice, as Lagos’s vibrant, kinetic energy brought Belinda Kazeem-Kami\u0144ski closer to the traditions of Yoruba cosmology and language as well as West African studio photography.<\/p>\n
In its first iteration, Ir\u00e8 (Blessings)<\/em>\u2014was curated by Nigerian artist, curator, and researcher Jumoke Sanwo and showcased at the 2023 edition of ART X Lagos, one of Africa\u2019s leading art fairs. This exhibition expanded Belinda Kazeem-Kami\u0144ski\u2019s practice beyond the studio, immersing her in the Yoruba cosmology of If\u00e1 divination, a foundational aspect of the \u00cc\u1e63\u1eb9\u0300\u1e63\u1eb9 traditional practice. Guided by her mentor, Prof. Jelili Atiku\u2014a multidisciplinary artist and practitioner of \u00cc\u1e63\u1eb9\u0300\u1e63\u1eb9\u2014Belinda Kazeem-Kami\u0144ski engaged deeply with the teachings of Od\u00f9 \u1ecc\u0300w\u1ecd\u0301nr\u00edn Ogb\u00e8, one of the 256 Od\u00f9 verses in If\u00e1 and developed her photographic self-portraits on its foundation. Prof. Atiku describes the verse as a holistic system that embraces the Yoruba worldview’s metaphysical and physical realms. Od\u00f9 \u1ecc\u0300w\u1ecd\u0301nr\u00edn Ogb\u00e8 emphasizes principles such as or\u00ed t\u00fat\u00f9<\/em> (a calm head) and \u00ccw\u00e0 p\u1eb9\u0300l\u1eb9\u0301<\/em> (a balanced character), underscoring the importance of ancestral guidance as a path to harmonizing energies. These principles become apparent in Kazeem-Kami\u0144ski\u2019s works such as Or\u00ed mi (n\u00ed ir\u00e1nt\u00ed J. D. Ojeikere) (My head. A Homage to J.D. Ojeikere)<\/em>, 2023, and \u00ccw\u00e0 p\u1eb9\u0300l\u1eb9\u0301 <\/em>(Balanced Character), <\/em>2023.<\/p>\n One year later, the artist reflects on her journey of return and renewal in Ir\u00e8 T\u2019\u00f3nl\u1ecd L\u1ecd\u0301w\u1ecd\u0301 (Blessings, ongoing)<\/em>\u2014showcasing analog and digital photographs that explore her use of photography as a tool for reconnecting with residual memory. Taking cues from the representation of family in West African Studio Photography of the 60s and 70s, Kazeem-Kami\u0144ski created \u00ccy\u00e1, B\u00e0b\u00e1 \u00e0ti \u00c8mi (Mother, Father, and Me)<\/em>, 2024, a self-portrait in which the artist inhabits the roles of mother, father, and child, while incorporating Yoruba symbolism and everyday objects.<\/p>\n Through time spent in the darkroom of legendary Nigerian photographer J.D. \u2018Okhai Ojeikere\u2014where she expanded her experience with analog techniques under the guidance of his son, Amaize Ojeikere\u2014to early morning sessions with her medium-format camera, each moment infused her work with the layered spirit of Lagos. Everyday experiences, from car rides across the bustling Third Mainland Bridge to quiet reflections in hidden city corners, and even the simple pleasure of savoring freshly boiled groundnuts, became sources of spiritual, ancestral, and artistic inspiration.<\/p>\n Presented in a setting reminiscent of a West African studio space, Ir\u00e8 T\u2019\u00f3nl\u1ecd L\u1ecd\u0301w\u1ecd\u0301 (Blessings, ongoing)<\/em> features parts of her creative process, including elements of a West African studio darkroom, a research wall that contextualizes her research, and a curated playlist of selected tunes that guided her throughout the process. Woven from an interplay of movement, stillness, tradition, and innovation, this body of work stands as a testament to Belinda Kazeem-Kami\u0144ski\u2019s profound encounter with what Okwui Enwezor refers to as \u201cthe routes and roots\u201d of life, embracing both the blessings of the past and the promise of new beginnings.<\/p>\n Jumoke Sanwo, 2024
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