Bolaji Akanji

WELCOME TO THE WONDROUS WORLD OF PATTERN PLAY.

My artistic practice explores storytelling through colour, pattern, and form. I bring together culture, history, and everyday life, transforming familiar objects and elements of nature into vibrant compositions that invite viewers into a world of imagination, emotion, and visual rhythm.

Inspired by the energy of Pop Culture, the dreamlike qualities of Surrealism, the freedom of Pop Abstraction, and the expressive power of colour, I create layered backgrounds featuring patterns inspired by cowhide. These rhythmic surfaces feel almost like melodies, bringing my subjects to life and creating a visual experience that speaks to both the heart and the eyes.

I reinterpret Pop Art through my own distinctive perspective, blending bold aesthetics with a contemporary and optimistic outlook. Working primarily with acrylic on canvas, I explore the possibilities of colour, texture, pattern, and form. Looking ahead, I hope to expand my practice into collectible art objects that connect with everyday life while carrying my signature patterns and visual language as a consistent thread.

My ambition is to develop a distinctive artistic voice that bridges generations and resonates with people of all a...

* Art Shopping Artfair, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris (2023)

* BE OPEN Foundation’s Finalist for Regional Artist of the Month (Western Africa, 2025)

* Group Exhibition: State of Becoming, by Arthotel Gallery, curated by Yenwa Gallery, 2026