The Rele Arts Foundation is pleased to present the 8th edition of the Young Contemporaries programme. Initiated in 2016, the programme identifies, mentors and promotes early-career artists from Africa, by equipping them with tools and resources for artistic development. Each year, the Foundation guides artists via its virtual boot camp and residency programme in Ado-Ekiti towards the creation of critical projects, encouraging innovative explorations of existing inquiries as well as the birth of fresh ideas.
This year’s edition presents new projects done over the course of 6 months by seven artists —Adeniyi Adewole, Adetutu Adediran, Hanson Okere, Yoma Emore, Seidougha Linus Eyimiegha, Elfreda Fakoya and Tosobuafo Matilda Bardi — working across a diverse range of mediums from textile material to aluminum dust; engaging complex issues from diasporic and familial identity to migration and urban traffic culture. The Young Contemporaries 2023 project presents the audience with a collection of distinct and exciting perspectives on contemporary issues while also drawing attention to the exciting and critical work being done by a younger generation of contemporary African artists.