Hey, it’s Bunmi!
Office Mag sat down with Anthony and spoke about ideas for the future and where he sees his work in the conversation of art and global cultures.
Anthony Olubunmi Akinbola, CAMOUFLAGE #002 (BBC), 2018, Durags, acrylic on wood panel,
96 × 240 x 2 inches
Anthony Bunmi Akinbola is a multidisciplinary artist who makes use of the readymade to explore the cultural rituals, connections, and conflicts in the fashioning of identity. Employing objects such as Durags, Torino Brushes, and Palm Oil, Akinbola attempts to question what makes an object “Black,” and in turn, what makes him Black.
As a Nigerian American, Akinbola aims to mitigate the separation between Africa and Black America, his works acting as metaphors for what a first generation existence might look like. The Jean-Michel Basquiat to my Glenn O’Brien (socially speaking), Anthony resides in his Brooklyn studio exploring color, texture, and recalling how to live independent of the concept of responsibility. In his spare time, Anthony enjoys cooking, weekend trips to Hudson, and biking through Brooklyn listening to Sade.