US-born Nigerian gallerist Adenrele Sonariwo was four years old when a sudden turn of events led his family to move to Africa in 1990: his father took over the role of Yoruba traditional ruler in southwestern Nigeria.
“My name is Adenrele, which means ‘the crown returns home’,” says the 37-year-old artist, who last month opened Rele Gallery in London’s Mayfair, which aims to showcase African art to an international audience.
Sonariwo, who was named among New African magazine’s 100 most influential Africans of 2022, remembers attending the coronation festivities and walking in a long procession that looped through a handful of ruling houses before her father received the crown.
“There was a lot of pomp and show. I would go to and from school and there was always activity in and around the palace,” he says.
“There was a whole program of events, stages were constantly being built, there was drama, music, food, fashion and a direct demonstration of deep tradition and culture.”
Sonariwo says Yoruba culture is complex. “My father was the traditional ruler of more than 32 towns for 26 years, and even among these towns, cultures differ,” he says.
Sonariwo recently discovered that Oríkì, a song or poem given to Yoruba children, is the same song or poem given to Peju Alatise, the Nigerian artist behind the opening exhibition of the new gallery in London.
“HE [Alatise] He references it in his work, and in the process of planning the show, I realized we shared the same Oríkì,” says Sonariwo. “We’re not even from the same town, but there’s a loyalty there. “There are a lot of similarities and a lot of differences.”
Having a gallery based in Nigeria with locations on two other continents is a conversation changer in itself
Adenrele Sonariwo
Yoruba culture has also spread beyond borders. “I was at a restaurant called Chishuru in the UK and I was delighted to see one of my favorite local Sagamu dishes on the menu,” he says. Last month, Chishuru founder and head chef Adejoké Bakare became Britain’s first black female chef to receive a Michelin star.
Sonariwo returned to the United States at the age of 15 to attend college, then returned to Nigeria in 2015 and founded the first Rele gallery in Lagos. A year later, she founded an arts foundation with a successful program. For emerging artists called Young Contemporaries.
“It has been almost 10 years since we opened in Lagos, and while our artists are known locally, I felt that these artists could benefit from the growth and visibility that international exhibitions would bring,” he says of the opening of his Mayfair gallery.
Sonariwo was chief curator of the first Nigerian pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2017. Seeing the African country not being represented at the biennial “seemed like a problem to me,” he says. Alatise was among three Nigerian artists selected for the pavilion.
Alatise’s exhibition We Came with the Last Rain at Rele Gallery in London is an exploration of Yoruba folklore and mythology. Some of his works revolve around stories of rain and fertility. “A particular type of rain makes things grow, while Oya, the god associated with rain, ensures fertility,” says Alatise. The work, titled Flying Girls, tells the story of a nine-year-old girl named Sim, who struggles with the difficulties of modern-day Lagos as a maid.
Sonariwo says the opening of a 3,000-square-foot exhibition space spread over two floors in London is a turning point for the gallery, which also has a space in Los Angeles.
Very few African women have opened galleries on three continents. “Having a gallery that originates from Nigeria and has locations on two other continents is a conversation changer in itself,” says Sonariwo. “It shows what is possible and achievable. It has allowed us to tell inclusive, diverse stories that are not limited to the singular narrative of what Africa is perceived to be.
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“My biggest inspiration is the artists I work with,” he adds. “It’s true that some of them come from very low-income places and they can see that they can change the course of their generation through their art. “That’s the most important thing for me.”
One of 17 siblings, Sonariwo’s family life taught him “a lot about diplomacy and politics,” skills he brings to his role.
“You have to learn how to manipulate people’s emotions and personalities. It teaches you a lot about yourself. Even now I love how it helps me navigate life.
Peju Alatise We Came With The Last Rain is on view at Rele Gallery, 5-7 Dover Street, London until 23 March 2024.