“For me personally, it’s always been about conversation,” artist Freda Osayuki Igiogbe said. “I’m Nigerian, and the way we keep our histories alive is through storytelling.”
This theme of conversation is key to Igiogbe’s joint exhibition with Kandre Arámide Hassan at The Residence Gallery, Ember & Ether. The pair work in different mediums, but both use their art to explore their deeply personal histories and Afro-diasporic cosmologies and beliefs.
Ahead of the exhibition’s launch, Igiogbe walked East End Review through her creative process and the subject matter which inspires it. “My work is universal in a sense, because I’m talking about memory, identity, and fear,” she said.
“The core theme of my work is about colonisation and the impact it has had on different Indigenous identities.
“With my sculptures at The Residence Gallery, I’m exploring personal memory, identity, and the ongoing impact of colonisation.”
Igiogbe works with clay, something which feels like a quiet rebellion in a world where artificial intelligence and digital media is everywhere. Before she discovered ceramics, the artist studied to be an architect but ended up changing discipline.
“I was not happy with architecture, so I ended up doing product design, which led me to ceramic design,” she said.
“It’s hard to separate art from the digital world, so clay making takes me away from that. Working with physical materials grounds me and allows me to step into the [role] of a storyteller.
“I’ve been extremely lucky to have great conversations with people that are so open about their own form of spirituality. This allowed me to create a bigger community of people.
“Just as my grandmother once told us folklore, I use clay to narrate experiences, making them tangible and open for wider interpretation.”
This folklore has informed much of Igiogbe’s work. In particular, she recalled hearing stories about the pan-African goddess of the sea, Mami Wata. “Growing up, we always had conversations about Mami Wata, saying, ‘She’s going to seduce you, she’s going to trap you,’” Igiogbe said.
“My sister went to this gallery in Nigeria whilst we were growing up, and they had an aquarium inside where they apparently saw the Mami Wata.
“This story always stood out to me because Mami Wata is often viewed as demonic, and being able to tell that story in a different light has been really impactful. It’s nice to materialise these gods.
“Normally you would hear about Greek gods and you know what they look like, but with our gods, it’s very different. You don’t know what they look like, so I have an opportunity to make them into a sculptured form where people can say, ‘Oh, that’s Mami Wata.’”
Igiogbe recently returned to Nigeria for the first time in 10 years, having moved to London at the age of 12. This homecoming introduced her to new technical possibilities and remains a crucial reference point for much of her work.
“I was able to go to the place where they do the Benin bronzes,” she continued. “There’s a conversation happening around returning the items in the British Museum back to their place of origin. I got to learn a little bit more about it and the process behind bronze casting, and I’m hoping to take that on this year with the sculptures.”
Cinema also plays a role in her creative process, and she specifically cited Ryan Coogler’s Sinners as a major influence during this project for its portrayal of blackness and spirituality. In the studio, she maintains a focused ritual. “I always have music in my ear, one song that I’m playing on repeat,” she added. The impact of movement and pacing in film and music can be seen throughout her work.
Sharing a space with Hassan has created an inevitable sense of community. “Kandra’s work is quite different from mine,” Igiogbe said. “But we’re telling the same story in a sense. It’s been quite informative in the way that her work explores mark-making and movement in a completely different way than I would.”
Ultimately, Igiogbe wants visitors to the exhibition to leave with a sense of wonderment. “I hope people are able to question their spirituality in a reflective sense,” she added.
“I also hope that they see it in a beautiful light, and that it’s healing to other people.”
Ember & Ether runs until 28 February, 2026, at The Residence Gallery, 229 Victoria Park Road, E9 7HD.
