Interview with Helly Ifeagwu

Interview with: Artist Adebanji Alade

Target Publication: “Time Out” London, Magazine. The Magazine has an “Art” section in which it regularly publishes articles either reviewing exhibitions or interviewing artists. Adebanji’s (rags to riches )success story would inspire many artists out there, who are perhaps struggling to find success.

Title: The Path to Success Nobody Tells You About

 

“When I came back to London, I couldn’t fit in. It was a culture shock. I have to say for once in my life I wanted to quit art.” It’s hard to believe that these words, radiating an energy of deep dejection, come from Adebanji Alade, the Addictive Sketcher, who epitomises every artist’s dream of success, himself. But behind the façade of recognition and achievement, his path to becoming the first black member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painterswas paved by rejection.

 

Indeed, there is yawning gap between the Hackney-born artist’s initial qualification by the Nigerian Yaba College of Technology in 1997, and his acclaim to membership of the prestigious Royal Institute of Oil Painters of London in 2015, just one of his many achievements.

 

Adebanji is an artist of many media, though his heart has always lain with the basics: sketching. His first introduction to art at the age of six was through sketching, which now, years of continuous development later, still defines his work as an artist.

 

 

 

“If people wanted to remember me, let them remember me for this,” Adebanji states, confidently patting his hand on one of the innumerable mountains of sketchbooks that fill the surfaces of every desk in the studio. On the walls, a myriad of portraits and landscapes in all shapes and sizes; the physical manifestation of hard work.

 

Today, Adebanji has parlayed his success into a membership of the Guild of Fine Art; the Council of the Chelsea Art Society; a regular part in The BBC’s One Showinterviewing celebrities such as Jeremy Paxman while sketching them; a blog with a huge following; multitudes of exhibitions, motivational workshops and more.

 

Adebanji, however, begins his story at a time when he was bereft of hope and financial security, with only his wife supporting him.

 

In 1997, The exciting prospect of starting his career as an artist drew Adebanji back to London at the age of 27. “I came with all my African art,” Adebanji remembers, “they were not embracing it here. It hurt so badly because I thought everything I’d gained in Nigeria, but nobody was into it.”

 

Facing continuous cycles of rejection upon submitting his works to exhibitions, Adebanji fell into what he retrospectively describes as depression. His promising dream to pursue a career as an artist was burst by the reality of exclusion from the English art world. He quickly encountered the cultural differences that also extend themselves to the art world.

Helly Interviwing Adebanji at his studio in Chelsea

Spending just a few moments in his presence, it’s hard to believe that the Addictive Sketcher, exuding the exciting, magnetic and passionate energy of an artist and motivational coach, too, has experienced hardship.

 

Struggling to put his talent to work, Adebanji turned to a teaching job at St. Mungo’s, a homeless charity in the early 2000s. “I thought okay, if I can’t do anything here, I need to volunteer and help someone.”

 

Working as an activity and talent development worker, Adebanji taught basic art skills to the homeless, often also taking them to galleries and museums. “It was very fulfilling”, he smiles.

 

Just sitting across from him, I can feel Adebanji’s aura of wisdom and experience, as he explains his story. There is no doubt, Adebanji has mastered the skill of learning from mistakes in life.

 

“The worst thing that always hit me, is that there’s a thin line between where we are, and being homeless. I had a paradigm shift – I saw directors, I saw doctors, I saw company owners, ended up on the street. Being in that environment wasn’t easy, but it was rewarding seeing them move on from it.”

 

But I ask on behalf of all dreamers who have experienced struggle: how did you snap out of the rut?

 

Adebanji traces this moment back to Nigeria. It was when he was reunited with all of his well-known artist friends, that a switch flipped in his mind.

 

“They were asking me what are you doing with your life now in London? And I was ashamed I couldn’t say anything,” he says.

 

One day at morning prayers, one of Adebanji’s friends read a biblical verse about Samson, a man who is given superhuman strength through his hair. But when he is betrayed by his lover, Delilah, his hair is cut and he loses his strength. Despite this, Samson heroically hauls himself out of the rut and regains his strength.

 

“Creative people, the thing about us is that when we’re not creating, we’re not serving our purpose,” Adebanji had realized.

 

If there’s one thing that sets apart the leaders from the lost, it’s the ability to form clear goals. Adebanji was going back to London; back to his art. He was going to listen to his heart.

And so, in 2003, London would see a new Adebanji: someone with an open mind and determination. He would start from scratch, attending the Heatherley School of Fine Art from 2003-2005 to “learn what the British appreciate”.

 

He says: “If you’re hungry for something and you’re determined to get it, every door will open for you because you’ve changed your mind set.”

 

“I mean were the schools not already there? They were,” he laughs.

 

In the abundance of stories Adebanji tells me, there is one striking trend: he stays persistent, but changes his approach.

 

It was this determination, that brought about a miracle in Adebanji’s career.

 

The Royal Institute of Oil painters is the association of leading oil painters in in the country. Founded in 1882, it is notorious for its exhibitions that maintain a ‘standard of excellence’. Adebanji shot for the stars. He would continuously submit his works to the institute through many cold years of rejection, but remained faithful he was going to make it.

 

In 2006, the unexpected “D” for doubtful that he received for one of his submissions, fuelled the fire in Adebanji, to dream even bigger.

 

In 2012, he was elected an associate member of the Royal Institution followed by the big break: he would become a full member in 2015. “I was ecstatic! Over the moon!”

 

Adebanji Alade exemplifies what happens when you dream big and have faith in yourself. This is advice we are taught at a very young age, but Adebanji is one of the very few that applied it, with only his dreams to model the way.

 

When he excitedly tells his story, Adebanji can’t help but interweave his recount with limitless gems of advice he’d gleaned from what others may describe as failures. Adebanji however, remains humble and grateful for all of his experiences.

 

“I want to stand for the fact that it’s possible.”

  • article written by Helly Ifeagwu.

 

Adebanji Presents “Decoding DaVinci on The One Show, BBC One.

This is for my international audience and those who might have missed this when it was aired on the 1st of February, 2019 on The One Show.

I really enjoyed this film because I was able to see the original Leonardo drawings right up close in the flesh. He was an addictive sketcher -so I used the experience to gain some real “master – student” infusion of inspiration. You can’t even imagine how thrilled I was to get my eyes and hands on his ORIGINALS!!!!!!

I visited the Royal collection in Windsor accompanied by Martin Clayton, The Leonardo Specialist, who oversees the 550 Leonardo Da Vinci drawings. We also visited the Diamond Light Research Centre located at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire.

At The Diamond Light Research Centre, Leonardo’s drawings were put through a synchrotron to reveal hidden features in the Masters work. While at the Royal Collection the drawings were put under an Infra Red light. The results in both were mind-blowing!

An exhibition is going all round the country at the moment- CLICK HERE for details.

I also put my acrylic painting of Leonardo Da Vinci, through an Infra Red light at the Royal Collection and it revealed all my initial sketches in charcoal and the grid lines too….not something I would have loved to reveal….

I hope you enjoy this short film…..

                 Leonardo Da Vinci, Acrylic on Canvas, 12″ x 16″, 2018. £1,750.

ADEBANJI FINDS A NEW BANKSY & OTHER STREET ARTISTS IN HULL (THE ONE SHOW)

This is for my international audience and for those here in the UK, who may have missed this short clip when it was aired on The One Show (BBC One) on 25/07/18.
Last year I went around the country in search of some surviving Banksy works, this time, another one sprung up in Hull and I went to the area not only to discover this new Banksy but some other great Street Artists around the area who now operate as the Bankside Gallery. I hope you enjoy it!

ADEBANJI ALADE PRESENTS 50 YEARS OF THE ROYAL MAIL STAMP WITH THE IMAGE OF THE QUEEN (The One Show, BBC ONE)

This is for my international audience and for those here in the UK, who may have missed this short clip when it was aired on The One Show (BBC One) on 19/12/17.
Last year I discovered that the most popular stamp in the world with the image of the Queen was sculpted by Arnold Machin OBE. It’s been 50 years since the first one was used. I met his nephew, Dominic Newton, who shed more light on Machin’s amazing work.
After this I worked on a collage with Royal Mail workers to celebrate it, at The Royal Academy.
Hope you enjoy this.

ADEBANJI INTERVIEWS AND SKETCHES 2 SURVIVORS OF THE GRENFELL TOWER FIRE on The One show (BBC One)

Adebanji Alade interviews 2 survivors of The Grenfell Tower Fire.

This is for my international audience and for those here in the UK, who may have missed this short clip when it was aired on The One Show (BBC One) on 13/06/18. It’s a year since this tragedy struck, in this short clip I go back to the area to interview and sketch two survivors (Natasha and Tiago) of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Adebanji Alade paints, “Adele Bellis, A Survivor of an Acid Attack” on the One Show.

Three View of Adele Bellis,
Three View of Adele Bellis, Oil on Canvas, 2017

This for my International Audience who may have missed the short film of the final “Brush With Fame Series” -Where I sketched, painted and interviewed Adele Bellis, a survivor of an acid attack and domestic abuse on The One Show,(04/19/17) BBC One.

ADEBANJI PRESENTS OTHER ARTISTS WORK ON THE ONE SHOW on BBC One

Adebanji presents the work of Nikki Douthwaite who produces stunning portraits made with tiny dots. She makes a lovely piece to celebrate Dot Cotton’s (June Brown) 90th Birthday this year!

 

Adebanji presents an interesting short film on an artist who did great posters but didn’t have much exposure until his grandson (Goff Gleadle) discovers his work and teams up with a great digital artist (Kendal James) to bring these works to life……

 

This was shown on BBC One, I was featured as the Presenter on a short 4 min film on the One Show, with people finder Cat Whiteaway and Iris Simmons, to unravel something interesting!