Funmi Lijadu is a writer and collage artist, energised by boundless experimentation. With a surrealist sensibility and a contemplative approach, she is deeply invested in humanity, the histories that led to our present, and imagining better futures.
How has your lived experience shaped your practice?
My lived experience has undoubtedly shaped my practice on multiple levels. Because most female creative output is automatically labelled as autobiographical, there can be an impulse to avoid claiming elements of the work that relate to us on a personal level. My interest in human stories, connection and life experiences shape my work day by day.
What are some of your biggest influences and motivations in your work? What issues are you passionate about working on?
Some of my biggest influences on my work move between creative mediums – an idea could be sparked by literature, theatre, music, visual art. Anything preoccupied by human interest issues excites me, universal themes across cultures like growing up, gender, and love. June Jordan is a writer and poet who inspires me greatly.
Where are you based and what excites you about the creative community around you?
I’m based in London and I’m excited by the range of cultural contexts available and the resources we have at our fingertips. As a capital city, work created here has the potential to be highly visible, which is great!
See more of Funmi’s work HERE
