Timothy Popoola

  I am Timothy Olalekan Popoola, a visual artist and a teacher. My waste to wealth enthusiasm started in 2012 while I searched for employment in Lagos and there was none. Instead of been idle as a graduate of Fine Art from Ahmadu Bello University, I started using my knowledge of chiaroscuro to convert my sister’s old Newspapers to figures;  Just like El-anatsui made wall installations from discarded bottles.  I cut the paper into strips to create lines and shape of my figures before pasting and painting through them. The collection of these paper-made-arts gave me the privilege of teaching art and crafts in Lara Day school Ikeja, where I explored art as an innovative way to learn about the world and each other. 
Again, in 2021 after my M.A(Hons) in Art History and a brief study on the positive impact of dynamic texture to mental health, I started crumpling my papers instead of just pasting them. I have sold some works and participated in five exhibition within and outside Nigeria but I strongly believe that, if I am selected, I will be able to lead a more concrete thought. This will make me to further champion my campaign against poverty and idleness.  I have always worked with the available materials, having a privilege to learn and work in such an environment will expand my scope in leadership on how available resources can be turned into a desired result. This will also encourage an average youth in the developing countries like me towards the resilient path, that everything big start small. The impact of upcycling is that it reduces cost and make people think of possibilities. A vivid example of this is the forty thousand capacity stadium in Qatar, used during the FIFA world cup ; made of 974 shipping containers and steel construction parts. Necessity they say is the mother of invention; like the upcycled waste, I strongly believe there is hope for Africa. The ‘Almajiris’ in the northern Nigeria can still go back to school and stop begging for survival; the Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram and kidnappers can be transformed and still become agents of peace. All we need is innovative and creative leaders and I believe this program will further unleash my potentials. One Awuah (2007), the president of Ashesi University, Ghana, observes that the question of transformation in Africa is really a question of leadership. He further states that Africa can only be transformed by enlightened leaders and the manner in which we educate our leaders is fundamental to the progress of this continent. I shall be looking forward to hearing from you while anticipating your favourable response. 
                                                                      Yours faithfully,
                                                                     Timothy-Olalekan 
 

I am a Paper collage artist and a Fine arts graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where I finished as the overall best in my department. I started creating figures with paper, while I searched for employment on the street of Lagos in 2012, I took advantage of my sister’s old newspapers-  turning waste to wealth by using scraps to form the movement in figures and from the themes to the cutouts of the papers  some of the seventeen sustainable development goals (SDGs) are simply depicted.      
In 2019 after my M.A in Art History from the same institution, I  realized that all the shades and colours could be gotten from paper. This discovery led me to turning all my subsequent works to one hundred percent paper.  Again, these figures are mostly women as a result of my attachment to my mother after the demise of my father and in a bid to fight idleness and depression, the practice took the form of praise by creating dancers. I executed this by cutting newspaper into strips to create the effect of lines before pasting and painting with them. In 2021, after a brief study on the positive impact of dynamic texture on mental health, I began crumpling my papers instead of just pasting them. 
On the 17th of October, 2019 I was invited by the Television Continental (TVC), Lagos, on Wake-up Nigeria talk about my art. I have sold some works through Quintessence Gallery and participated in five major exhibitions within and outside Nigeria – 
Experience 2014 @ Transcrup Hilton hotel Abuja; 
Scapes and Forms 1 and 2 in ABU, Zaria; 
Paper is Treasure by Ecoaware Gallery in India; 
PASA Festival Exhibition in South Korea. 
Out of one hundred and fifty applicants for the Artist Ladder Residency, held in Lekki, Nigeria, in December of 2021, I was privileged to be one of the five distinguished finalists.
 

LARA DAY SCHOOL, IKEJA. ( 2014 -2015).
Teach the pupils how to draw, paint and how to use scrap material to make an artistic object and design. Help to also fix the wall and the board with different themes and subjects. I also offer a consultancy service on school beautification like mural and so on 
Living Faith Church canaanland Ota, Ogun. (2019-2021)
Served as a resident Pastor and accounting officer of Living Faith Church, Dale, Badagry, Lagos.
MORALITY  COLLEGE SCHOOL EGBEDA Fine arts Teacher (2011- 2014)
Taught Cultural and Creative Art in the secondary school 
 

Education
Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State ( 2017-2018 )    
M.A. (Hons) Art History
Thesis: Analysis of the Effects of Light in the works of Damola Adepoju 
Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State (2008 – 2011 )     
B. A( Hons) Fine Arts, Second class (Upper division)
Project: Examination of the Philosophical Implications in the works of Jerry Buhari 
A.U.D Comprehensive college   Otta, Ogun state.( 1993–1999)        

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