In Kókó Ewà, Saheed Adelakun Weaves Beauty into Being 

Yinka Olatunbosun

An artist whose name speaks volumes about his craft, Saheed Adelakun is poised for his fourth solo exhibition, titled Kókó Ewà: The Essence of Beauty. The show is the culmination of several years of research into African aesthetics, as well as reflections on lived experience. Adelakun is widely regarded for his innovative use of materials, particularly his “rope-on-canvas” technique, which he calls Olokun (Rope Bearer). In his practice, rope functions as both structural and symbolic foundation, creating a texture and depth that conventional canvas cannot achieve.

Adelakun’s work is labour-intensive, often taking months to complete a single piece due to the meticulous layering of ropes. Yet he rarely works in isolation. With the support of his trusted studio assistants, ropes are carefully prepared for each portrait. This collaborative process nods to his royal heritage—as a prince of Ayetoro, Ogun State—and to the Yoruba ethos of patience and craftsmanship.

His pieces reveal a distinctive interplay between the abstract, rhythmic patterns of rope and the more representational painted figures on the surface. Through Kókó Ewà, he explores the intrinsic beauty found in cultural continuity and the strength of communal ties—metaphorically embodied in the intertwining ropes. Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos, has long supported his journey, offering a space that complements the tactile and historical weight of his art.

This exhibition of mixed-media paintings will run from April 4 to 18. At a recent press briefing in Lagos, Adelakun explained that the works began to take shape in 2021.

“The environment I live in—amid market women—influenced this body of work. It began with listening to Fela’s Yellow Fever. The song drew me in. One day, I stepped out and saw a woman. I took her picture and marvelled at her beauty, at the elegance of our women.”

With each piece, Adelakun reconstructs history while foregrounding inclusivity, often depicting women bearing marks of identity, such as tribal marks.

“The work is not strictly about tribal marks,” he continued. “I simply want to include women with tribal marks in my paintings. I want to preserve their legacy. Kókó Ewà grew out of my desire to look more deeply into what beauty truly means. In Yoruba culture, beauty is not only what is seen; it is also about presence, character and identity. In these works, I paint women in ways that express both calmness and strength. The Duduyemi series celebrates the body—our skin, our form, and the beauty of our natural existence—while the portraits focus on the face. This body of work is also a response to how society sometimes causes us to forget who we are. Through these paintings, I am reminding us that beauty already resides within us; we simply need to recognise it.”