Rustad Galleria – May 18th to July 2nd, 2023
Olamipo Bandele
Olamipo Bandele is afraid of missing out. Having immigrated to Canada from her home country of Nigeria to complete her master’s degree, Bandele longs for the comforts, rhythms, and familiar faces of home. Through her work in this exhibition, she acknowledges this yearning by reconnecting with her home and its culture through the art form she knows best: fashion.
Bandele believes that the best way to both appreciate fashion and reduce its over-consumption is to immerse herself in the design process. From sketches to samples to styling photoshoots, she collaborates with other Nigerian creatives to bring her unique designs to life. In this way, she contributes economically to her home country and reduces reliance on fast fashion.
Bandele considers style a creative and cultural language. With this in mind, she has created a visual vocabulary that she uses to explore self-confidence and strengthen her ties to home. Bandele’s designs, seen throughout this exhibition from conceptual sketches to finished works, are complemented by her writing. Through both poetry and prose, Bandele shares how gratitude and authenticity can be powerful coping mechanisms. Through these faceted approaches to communicating culture, she invites us into her world as she navigates this Fear of Missing Out.
Bandele lives and works in Prince George on the traditional, unceded territory of Lheidli T’enneh. As a content writer and fashion enthusiast, her practice includes not only design, but media and communications, which she uses to direct photoshoots, create marketing materials, and produce digital content.
Featured artwork: Olamipo Bandele, Abeti Aja, 2022.
