On Friday, August 29th, 2025, Dotun Popoola hosted our first Canvas Club itinerant at the Art & Industrial Design Department, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta. The session hosted by Dotun Popoola on Metal Sculpting in Contemporary Art began with a studio tour led by the school’s HOD, Mr. Dunni Adesiji, which engaged participants, students, and external guests. Afterwards, Iyanu Ipadeola, a team member from Kuta, introduced Kuta Arts Foundation and highlighted the community’s work within and beyond Abeokuta, especially emphasizing how Canvas Club serves as a key art education program for emerging artists to acquire industry knowledge and connect the art world with schools.          Then, the session began as Oluyomi Akinnagbe, Kuta’s Program Manager and Assistant Creative Director, warmly and humorously introduced the guest facilitator, Dotun Popoola, to the participants. He then shared his challenging but inspiring journey into the art world and explained how self-innovation and reinvention of his medium gave him an edge within the art scene and beyond his peers. He continued with his explanation that metal sculpting is the artistic process of creating three-dimensional objects from metal. He often goes to the junkyard to find metals, both soft and hard, because each serves different purposes in his work. Close inspection of his pieces, especially the ears, shows he uses some soft metals like copper. Understanding the properties and differences between these metals helps him use them effectively.     Metals are a class of chemical elements and alloys characterized by their metallic bonding and physical properties such as high density, strength, malleability, ductility, thermal and electrical conductivity, and a reflective surface called metallic luster. They are usually extracted from mineral ores through processes like smelting and refining. Metals are broadly categorized into ferrous metals (iron and its alloys) and non-ferrous metals (such as copper, aluminum, zinc, and bronze). Historically, the discovery and use of metals marked key stages in human development, evidenced by the Copper, Bronze, and Iron Ages. Today, metals continue to be essential in industrialization, engineering, architecture, medicine, and the arts, serving as both scientific and cultural pillars of human progress.         “Metal can be very soft than clay. To make metal soft, you need to be a Hardworking Artist. You must understand the dynamics of your practice.” During the session, he gave the above quotes and explained how he uses his works to solve ecological and climate change within his environment. He said,“ My works are influenced by these modern themes.” Sustainability Identity Urbanism Climate change He also reflected on how indigenous Benin bronze casting, ancient art practices, and traditions influence his works. After Dotun’s presentation, guests asked questions that were peculiar to the current realities and practices as students and emerging artists who are trying to understand their practice and navigate the art spaces.     About Dotun Popoola Dotun Popoola is a contemporary Nigerian artist (sculptor) who specializes in synergetic metal sculpting. He creates pieces of artwork from discarded scrap metals. His works are focused on transforming trash to treasures, rubbish to rubies, and waste to wealth by repurposing wastes that threaten the ecosystem. Popoola works primarily with scrap metal, where creating animal forms is his favourite way to use the medium. Some of his works were exhibited at ART X Lagos. He had a solo exhibition called “Irin Ajo” (Journey) in Signature Beyond Art Gallery, Lagos, where he presented around 24 metal works of his.  

On June 1st, 2025, three strangers and I stormed a live-in facility in Abeokuta, armed with luggage, journals, and a wrap sheet of experience points no shorter than the Niger River. There were no “how are you?” or “we brought you X and Y?” Just the palpable energy of minds on a mission, and a tingly unease about the future. The following day, we’d begin our stint for the CLF Bootcamp, but that night, we waited quietly, pulling out PCs, outfits, and stationery–weapons of impact. It was setting the tone for what would be the most beautiful, exhausting, and somewhat rewarding two weeks of my life. We had strolled in early like the second coming of Basquiat, if he had rolled in with a duffel bag and on his lips a tang taste for cultural revolution. In the weeks to come, the real work would happen, but before that, some backstory. The Creative Leaders Fellowship (CLF for short) was designed to equip emerging creative leaders with essential mindsets for the unsexy-but-crucial work of creative administration, professional development, and impact-making in a rapidly evolving meatgrinder world. Made possible by a joint handshake between the Kuta Arts Foundation, the African Creative Hubs Network, and a fat sponsorship hug from the Goethe-Institut’s Residency Resource initiative, the program was intended to stretch us. Not physically–despite breaking a sweat and rethinking my entire career choice midway–but mentally, from a problem-solving perspective. It brought together artists, arts and culture workers, and community builders under one roof for fifteen days of what I can only describe as an incubator for rebel creators/managers. For me, it was a pause from the long, ambidextrous hustle I’ve come to know as life in Lagos. It was my way of taking a long-needed breather right before a major next move as a thinker and writer-director.       For two weeks, we converged at NestbyKuta for our 9:00 AM meetings. It was a dizzyingly fiery experience, pulling tables together for some reflective war-room-level strategizing. In there, we unpacked our individual histories: who we were, what we did for work, why we were here, and where we were headed, career-wise.  There, we trashed ideas, biases,  casting light on recurring opportunities and backroom con-games going on in the creative arts and culture world, each person reaching for their pie of rollercoaster stories to hand out to a group of salivating minds. There’s just something delicious about diverse minds tabling their experiences before a jury of ears. It’s raw, atrocious, and disturbingly satisfying. We also pored over literature from Kuta’s growing library, assigning which books to whom, based on their career goals. My favorites were RESEARCH FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD RATHER CREATE & THE SOURCE.          When we weren’t plotting revolutions around the round table, we took strolls. We’d walk from Oke-ilewo to Jide Jones, around Housing Estate, G.R.A., taking photos of Eid parties (Eid Mubarak was ongoing), inhaling the spirit of a quiet but culturally robust suburban area. You could sense it in your bones, the scent of freshly cut grass, the structures of ordinary houses, and, especially, their sight-for-sore-eyes appeal. It all screamed, ‘This is RockCity! Nowhere else,’ and I just wanted to cry. It was such a come-to-Jesus moment for me as I recalled the chaotic, soulless, copycat architecture eating at Lagos’ real estate. Amid the Eid celebration, we had some team exercises. All that walking around wasn’t for show. We were scouting, spotting communal problems, and documenting them. We would eventually have dialogues about our findings, pitching projects that could address observed issues. It felt like being thrust in the middle of a maze and told to find your way. Scary at first, but you get the dance eventually.  Fast-forward to Saturday.    The whole street feels like a defrosted freezer, icy smoke cradling the air. We grudgingly grab shovels and plastic bags, marching towards Tegoe Street. ‘Grudgingly’ because it had rained and sleep was still, well, deep in our system. Our task that morning involved clearing out the trash-laden stretch of Tegoe Street, the very community where NestbyKuta is situated.  This was the day after the Eid celebration, so there was enough trash to deal with.    The smell hit before anything else: sour leftovers, old nylons, broken ceramics, wet paper, all triggered by the long, unconscious habits of residents in need of a little spanking. Not that I wasn’t an indirect participant. I had walked that road a few times, and somehow, I had stared at the same trash a couple of times and not noticed it, nor thought to do jack about it. What do I call that? Willful ignorance? Cognitive avoidance? Therapists in the house, drop a light bulb, would you? And so, we shoveled and bagged, throwing bants, some grooving to music, others canvassing to get other residents involved. Here we were, creators, culture producers, laughing through the stench. It was a cleansing ritual. We managed to get a resident involved.  That evening, having freshened up, we had a potluck masquerading as a watch party. There we saw a livestream of the Global Leadership Summit 2018, featuring fascinating takes on vision engineering like ‘focusing on why you started’ (Dr. Nthabiseng Legoete, Quali Health), ‘cutting your vision to the continuity of a human need’ (Strive Masiwa x T.D. Jakes), and how leaders ‘see what others don’t see’ (John Maxwell).  One of my biggest takeaways from the fellowship was something the facilitator mentioned on the first day of the program. Something along the lines of: creators on the lookout for patrons need to rethink what/how they create. Collectors of art aren’t just looking for something fancy to add. They’re thinking legacy. Investment. They’re thinking posterity pieces  (heavily paraphrased).   This thought has haunted me since the last time I revisited my notes.  As creators and producers of culture, it’s too easy to get swept into the I-want-to-just-express-me-for-me narrative. And there’s really nothing wrong with that. But it’s also crucial to ponder the cumulative

Get ready this April for Canvas Club’s next session on Film-Making; Led by Ike Nnaebue, a seasoned documentary filmmaker and director. This session is designed for aspiring filmmakers who are eager to learn the art of:  Preparing a winning proposal Navigating the world of documentary funding. Developing your project, etc. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to elevate your project, this workshop will guide you through creating a compelling pitch and securing financial backing for your film. Venue: 13, Tagoe Street, Lalubu Road Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta (NestbyKuta) Date: Friday, April 18th, 2025 Time: 4pm WAT RSVP now to secure your seat: …………………………………………………. Call for Submissions! Got a documentary film? Submit your work for a chance to have it screened during our canvas club session led by our guest facilitator, Ike Nnaebue. This is a unique opportunity to have your film screened, gain valuable feedback, and connect with other creatives. Submission Timeline : April 2nd -14th, 2025 Register Now

A Pottery Making Workshop led by Afeez Adeoti and Mrs Adelanwa On February 28th, the Canvas Club became a vessel of stories and heritage. We hosted Afeez Adeoti, a ceramic artist influenced by his art residency in China, whose hands mold more than plates and tiles, they sculpt history. Through the delicate curves of ceramics, Afeez unraveled the tale of his ancestral lineage, the Opomulero, the pillars of his people, proving that clay remembers more than just form; it cradles legacy. Joining him was Mrs. Adelanwa, a potter from Abeokuta, rooted in generations of indigenous pottery. Her craft spoke in silent spirals and bold textures, each piece a whispered memory passed down through bloodlines and fire. What we saw was more than art, it was a convergence of past and present, of precision and Abeokuta’s earthy essence. It reminded us that pottery is not just utility; it is identity molded by hand and flame. The Hands of the Earth The hands that shape the dust, Knead whispers from the past, Binding breath to the formless, Until clay remembers its purpose. Ancient palms press into time, Molding vessels of memory, Echoes of ancestors spiral in fire, As earth is reborn in our hands. Oh child, trace the grooves, See the stories in the ridges, Feel the rhythm of NestbyKuta, Etched into terracotta veins. The kiln hums in sacred tongues, Blazing secrets into the clay— Indigenous wisdom, contemporary fire, Fusion of past and present desire. For the pot that holds our water, Holds our history too, And the hands that shape the dust, Shape the future anew. Poem by Olushola oludotun

Last year, while planning our first series for the 2025 Canvas Club, we aimed to create a more interactive and engaging workshop experience. As we brainstormed topics for this year’s series and prepared for our January session, we noticed that we had generated a significant amount of trash that could be utilized in the workshop. Over two months, we collected various waste materials and ended up with nearly three bags filled with packaging wraps and graphical waste, including paper bags and nylon wraps. As an organization dedicated to fostering a better and more equitable environment for creativity, this particular Canvas Club session aimed to educate participants on reducing waste in their surroundings. We encouraged them to explore the potential of reusing waste materials for aesthetic purposes and to express their stories through these items. Importantly, we aimed to inspire participants to think creatively about waste and reconsider their perceptions and approaches toward it. For Canvas Club in January, we welcomed Mr. Lanre, an environmental artist dedicated to transforming discarded materials into art. His session, titled Dumps and Dirt: The Art You Don’t See, explored how graphical materials, such as papers and nylons, can be reimagined as an artistic medium and emphasized the importance of sustainable art practices. Also, he shared his journey as an environmental artist, explaining how discarded materials have shaped his creative process.  A hands-on workshop followed, where participants collected and repurposed snack nylons to create an artistic representation of a seller’s market. This activity allowed attendees to engage directly with the concept of transforming waste into art, challenging them to view discarded items as resources rather than trash. One of the key messages from the session was the importance of constant creation. Mr. Lanre emphasized that artists should always be producing work, as opportunities often come unexpectedly. Having a body of work ready can make all the difference in seizing those moments when they arise. The session left participants inspired to explore unconventional materials in their creative practices. It reinforced the idea that art exists everywhere and that with the right perspective, anything can become a medium for expression. ………………………………………………… Weighty yet empty.  The aesthetics of efforts that command expectations; Like the miscarriage of a barren woman.   The dirt of origins, the source of depth. The despised stones of the foundation, the strength of a tower. Poor backgrounds and fine foregrounds.  Life is a canvas of time and phases. The past we know, the present we see, the future we anticipate.   -Poem written by one of the participants, Joshua Ibirogba.