Bunmi Agusto
Born 1999 in Lagos, Nigeria
Lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria
Bunmi Agusto’s practice follows the inhabitants of a surrealist wonderland in her mind called Within. The indigenous inhabitants of this world are hybrids whose human form is combined with elements she finds integral to her sense of self and cultural consciousness. Non-hybrid humans are also present in Within as family members, friends, and passersby in the artist’s waking life. They are subsumed into the world through encounters and begin to occupy the role of immigrants into her mind. Agusto’s works therefore explore cultural theory and the evolution of selfhood through the lens of fantasy. She cites stories such as Amos Tutuola’s The Palm-Wine Drinkard, Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland and the Marvel cinematic universe as major influences. She also works predominantly with pastel pencils and mixed media.  
Bunmi Agusto, All occurs within me , 2022, Pastel pencil on sandpaper, ink, and coloured pencil on paper, 120 x 85 cm. Courtesy of DADA Gallery.

Artists 2022