So tonight is actually our first Black History Month drawing night. It's a night
where we have all come together to explore a new side of our culture
that isn't always seen and it's a night for primarily a visual space so it's a
night where people have come together in a room. We've used charcoals,
we've used colours, we've used pencils, graphite sticks and we try to somehow
represent the pride we take in our culture on paper.
When I heard about the Black History Month drawing event the first thing
that came to mind was the talking drum. It's an instrument in my culture, Yoruba culture.
The concept behind it is that when somebody is talking you beat the drum
and it sort of follows the rhythm of the person that's talking.
So this picture is actually from the internet but I try to incorporate
some other stuff like the designs here. That is actually a design for Gele
which is what we call head-gear in Nigeria, I'm not sure about other African cultures.
So the headgear is something that females wear and you have a lot of like crazy
outgoing styles. I also wanted the female to be bald because I feel like that was
the big part of the Nigerian culture a long time ago.
Right now we wear braids but in the ancient times we actually went bald.
I think what I really do find interesting about these images looking
at them there are a lot of different generations portrayed through each but
each stage there is such evidence of cultural growth and excellence.
And it's just so peaceful to see these around us,
and know we are literally surrounding ourselves with all our accolades.
I'm not usually an artist at all, I do once in a while draw something but it's
not something I do regularly, usually I do write. My brother is the one who's
the artist in the family, just ask anyone who knows him.
But when I do draw like today it just felt a little bit therapeutic
because my course is a handful
but taking some time out to do something that I enjoyed
and I was really interested in, I think it really did help me
relaxing and just putting work aside.
I don't usually draw but when I do I enjoy it, it's quite helpful.
Before going into architecture I had a whole battle in my head
on whether-or-not it was going to be architecture or fine art
but I think coming into Cambridge and
actually knowing that I have an outlet for myself which is primarily through
fine art is probably one of the best things I think
I've had in terms of honestly knowing myself within this society and
knowing that there is something I can do which helps me and keeps me grounded.
I think it's something that can be very daunting to come to room
and not necessarily know how to draw but know that you are proud enough of your
culture to want to experience a space like this.