Taking a seat at the table

Sophie Winch talks to Yinka Ilori about his chair-based exhibition in Islington this week

Four art books fanned out on top of each other — Yinka Ilori’s CHAIRMAN

Yinka Ilori is debuting his first ever exhibition solely featuring his chairs in Islington this week.

The British-Nigerian artist, best known for his brightly coloured upcycled furniture, incorporating motifs from West African parables, is bringing his work home. Yinka Ilori: CHAIRMAN will be shown at the Walter Sickert Community Centre, in the same neighbourhood as the estate where Ilori grew up. This exhibition spans a decade of his art, in tandem with the publication of his first monograph Chairman.

“Bringing CHAIRMAN back to the neighbourhood where it all began feels like a real full-circle moment,” Ilori tells Barnet Post. He credits his experiences in North London for helping to shape his imagination – “so much of who I am and the work I make comes from growing up [there]”.

Ilori has a history of exhibiting in non–traditional spaces, like stores and community pop-ups. “I want the work to feel accessible to everyone, not just people who go to galleries or know lots about art and design.” Chairs are an example of this in themselves: they’re something we “all have a relationship with”. By exhibiting in an Islington community centre, Ilori wants to bring his work back, “to the people and the place that helped shape me.”

“I want people to feel welcome, to come in, have a look, share their stories and hopefully see themselves in the work,” Ilori says. “Life is too short to be beige!”

Yinka Ilori: CHAIRMAN is being shown at the Walter Sickert Community Centre from 14th to 16th October. Tickets can be bought here.

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