Free Forms | a s c ulptura l soc ia l c onst ru c t | Olu Amoda

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 Free Forms | a s c ulptura l soc ia l c onst ru c t | Olu Amoda
Rele Gallery is pleased to present Free Forms,
a solo exhibition of new work by contemporary
Nigerian artist Olu Amoda. Created from parts
sourced from fabricator shops and forge offcuts,
the small-scale metal sculptures featured in the ex-
hibition examine the quality and latent energy of ma-
terial as well as the irregularity of form. In Free
Forms, Amoda continues a career-long dialogue
with materiality and the transformation of objects
found from the detritus of consumer culture.
Amoda’s varied and dynamic oeuvre include sculp-
tures, murals, furniture designs, and multimedia in-
stallations. Across these diverse explorations,
an enduring engagement with medium specificity
and the transmutation of found objects is clearly ev-
ident. This process of transformation through
close and collaborative dialogue with material
becomes integral to the forms produced, presenting
them as both object and subject. With this
exhibition, Amoda offers a less structured engage-
ment with metal as compared to his more popular
method of intricate arrangement and dense
layering seen in works like his ‘Sunflower’ series
(2014). The works here are looser, allowing for
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a more intimate engagement with material and
manipulation technique beyond the represented
forms.
From solitary figures dressed in elaborate attires
and shown in various stages of movement to
groups of figures in companionship, the works
in Free Forms also explore social issues and person-
alities; from the effects of the pandemic on social
gatherings to fashion aesthetics and dynamic
figures inspired by popular culture. With the
works here, done in an almost brutalist fashion,
Amoda conveys the weight of the material while
also presenting the delicate nature of his subjects.
His exploration of the irregular and gestural
imbues his characters with a fluidity and weightless-
ness that belies the qualities of the material.
In Free Forms, we move with the artist through met-
alworking shops and forges, exploring the residual
histories of material and reading new forms from con-
stituent parts. In what he describes as a response
to the material, Amoda, through an elaborate
method of selection, cutting, twisting and joining,
transforms the mundane to the poetic.
 Free Forms | a s c ulptura l soc ia l c onst ru c t | Olu Amoda
Born in Okere, Delta state, Nigeria, Olu Amoda
has worked consistently over the past four
decades to create a sculptural language with
unique character and beauty. Working as a
sculptor, muralist, furniture designer, and multime-
dia artist, Amoda is best known for using
repurposed materials found from the detritus of con-
sumer culture. His works often incorporate rusty
nails, metal plates, bolts, pipes, and rods, that
are welded together to create figures, animals,
flora, and ambiguous forms. Amoda uses these ma-
terials to explore socio-political issues relating to Ni-
gerian culture today, from sex, politics, race,
and conflict to consumerism and economic distribu-
tion. His seminal body of work, 'Sunflower,'
explores the connection between mass industry
and organic, winning the top prize at the DAK'ART
Biennale in Dakar, Senegal, in 2014. More
recently, Amoda has experimented with new materi-
als and processes as he examines privacy, surveil-
lance, and voyeurism in the Nigerian urban environ-
ment.
Amoda graduated in sculpture from Auchi Polytech-
nic, Nigeria, and received a Master's Degree in
Fine Arts from Georgia Southern University,
USA. He also taught drawing and sculpture
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construction at the Yaba College of Technology,
from 1987 to 2019 before he voluntarily retired
in protest of politicization and declined sabbatical
leave.
Amoda has participated in exhibitions at the
Victoria and Albert Museum (UK), the Museum
of Art and Design (New York), Skoto Gallery
(New York), Georgia Southern University (USA),
Didi Museum (Nigeria), WIPO Headquarters (Swit-
zerland), and Art Twenty One (Nigeria), among
others. He currently in a touring exhibition Lend
Me Your Dream organized by FONDATION
POUR LE DÉVELOPPEMENT DE LA CULTURE
CONTEMPORAINE AFRICAINE; His works can
found in many prestigious art collections, including
the Newark Museum, Sindika Dokolo, and Fonda-
tion Blachère. He has completed residencies at
Villa Arson (France), The Bag Factory (South
Africa), Appalachian State University (North Caroli-
na), and the New York Design Museum in 2006
and 2011, respectively. Amoda is currently a bene-
factor from Micheal Dillion's generosity with
Space, machine, networking, and materials, in
an artist-in-residency capacity. Olu Amoda lives
and works in Lagos, Nigeria, and Atlanta, USA.
 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Head [Miles II] | Welded repurposed clutch discs | 26 x 18 x 24 in | 2020

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Congregation | Welded stainless steel, and bronze | 7.5 x 8 x 4.5 in | 2021

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Deception | Welded stainless steel | 21.5 x 10 x 5 in | 2020

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 Free Forms | a s c ulpt ura l soc ia l c onst ru c t | Olu Amoda

Hang out I | Welded stainless steel | 25 x 18 x 9.5 in | 2020

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Hang out II | Welded stainless steel | 13.5 x 12 x 3.5 in | 2021

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Kasali at Ease | Welded repurposed forge forms | 2020

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Market Women Revolt I | Welded repurposed forge forms | 2008

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Market Women Revolt II | Welded repurposed forge forms | 2008

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 Free Forms | a s c ulpt ura l soc ia l c onst ru c t | Olu Amoda

Market Women Revolt III | Welded repurposed forge forms | 2008

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Market Women Revolt IV | Welded repurposed forge forms | 2008

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Market Women Revolt V | Welded repurposed forge forms | 2008

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Free Forms | a s c ulptura l soc ia l c onst ru c t | O lu Amoda

Mr | Welded stainless steel | 18 x 7 x 2 in | 2020

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l s oc ia l c onst ru c t | Olu Amoda

Okoye- Musing Wakanda | welded stainless and mild steel | bronze | 2020

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Free Forms | a s c ulpt ura l soc ia l c onst ru c t | O lu Amoda

Posing | Welded mild steel | 18 x 6 x 3.5 in | 2020

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l s oc ia l c onst ruc t | Olu Amoda

Pot Bearer | Welded mild steel | 23 x 10 x 10 in | 2016

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l s oc ia l c onst ruc t | Olu Amoda

Pot Bearer II | Welded stainless and mild steel | 35 x 11 x 4 in | 2016

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 Free Forms | a s c ulptura l soc ia l c onst ruc t | Olu Amoda

Regal | Welded stainless steel and brass | 21.4 x 5.5 x 4.5 in | 2020

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l s oc ia l c onst ruc t | Olu Amoda

Market Women Revolt VI | Welded repurposed forge forms | 2008

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Free Forms | a s c ulpt ura l soc ia l c onst ruc t | Olu Amoda

Sage | Welded mild steel | 13 x 8 x 7.5 in | 2020

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstruc t | Olu Amoda

Sis | Welded stainless and mild steel bronze | 28.5 x 12 x 8 in | 2020

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Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstruc t | Olu Amoda

Sowonpo | Welded bronze | 16 x 7.5 x 8 in | 2021

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 Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstruc t | Olu Amoda

Stance | Welded repurposed forge forms | 20 x 8 x 5 in | 2020

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Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstruc t | Olu Amoda

Swag I | Welded mild steel | 30 x 7 x 7.5 in | 2021

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Free Forms | a s c ulpt ura l soc ia l c onst ruc t | O lu Amoda

Swag II | Welded mild steel | 21.5 x 8 x 5 in | 2021

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Free Forms | a s c ulptura l soc ia l c onst ruc t | O lu Amoda

Swag III | Welded mild steel | 28.5 x 6 x 11 in | 2021

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Free Forms | a s c ul pt ura l soc ia l c onstru c t | Olu Amoda

Wind | Welded mild steel | 25.5 x 18 x 15 in | 2020

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“Everything we see hides
another thing, we always want
to see what is hidden by what
we see. There is an interest in
that which is hidden and which
the visible does not show us.
This interest can take the form
of a quite intense feeling, a sort
of conflict, one might say,
between the visible that is
hidden and the visible that is
present.”
― René Magritte
In steel forging, defects are not discussed
because of a natural reluctance to draw
attention to them. As a resident artist at
Dillion Forge, one of the meticulous forge
studios in Atlanta, Georgia, a cache of
defects or rejects is available for me to
sculptural repurposed.
In the body of work cumulating to
Freeforms, I explored the defects from
steel forging to create stylized sculptures.
One of my creative forensic strategies is
to yield to the objects, embracing the steel
density, an essential component for
exploring sculpture production materiality.
No rejects from the forge are light in
weight since blacksmithing requires
heating metal pieces in the furnace and
shaping the iron stock hammering to
reveal the three-dimensional form.
In contrast, metal construction entails the
gradual amassing of steel fragments to
create a sculptural form. Very much like a
blacksmith, the process of creating a steel
sculpture entails heating, hammering,
cutting, and welding. The creative process
at Dillion Forge suggests a spiritual
dialogue of materials every day; some
rejects appear flawless; they escape
further pounding from the power hammer
only to reside in the metal sculpture.
This forensic strategy requires synching
the latent energy in the steel and the
human touch.
In Dillon Forge, steel is carefully and
meticulously processes his steel to perfec-
tion; makes any rejects is a soft landing
for a creative spark.
The sound from the power hammer as it
vibrates the earth and the flames from the
forge is like the horn of the arriving
creative train bring a load of raw-shaped
rejected steel for my next project after
failing the quality control lens of Dillion
forge. The flat sheets, steel tubings, and
other exotic profiles are from Livingston
metalwork's scrap pile.
The collection expands with every visit to
the Kyle Livingston's or the trash bin of
Dillion forge. Kyle is a bosom friend of
Micheal Dillion, and, as a matter of coinci-
dence, the location of Livingston metal-
work was my first point of contact with
Micheal way back in 2009.
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My workstation is cluttered with these
off-cuts screaming for attention and urging
me to be part of the next creation. To
ensure zero material waste, I revisited my
off-cuts from the repurposed rejects from
Dillion Forge and Livingston's. The linger-
ing taste of the fish flesh propels one to
review the fish bones in search of hidden
meat in the crevices of the bones; this
practice ensures zero waste of materials.
A social construct emerged from the
dialogue of steel, its materiality, and repur-
posing to create familiar subjects from the
social media and intuitively from my life
experiences. Each sculpture has a linear
dimension and mass weight, which invert-
edly mimic each subject matter. It will be
appreciated if any pieces are felt or
touched; a word of caution they are heavy
and need both hands to lift anyone.
They are not dumbbells. They are like
trophies, the reward from hours practicing
to be a fine athlete in the gym. I consider
these sculptures finished when finger-
prints from collectors or anyone who dares
to touch any.
However, respect the gallery instruction
while attempting to touching or lifting as
some might require gallery supervision.
Olu Amoda. Smyrna GA August 24, 2021.
Free Forms | a s c ulptura l soc ia l c onst ru c t | Olu Amoda

Title | Metal | 48 X 54 inches | 2021

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