Maro Itoje traveled around London to find artwork for his first flat.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find any African artwork to hang in his new home. When his search for capital proved futile, Itoje and his family decided to turn to the markets on their next trip to Nigeria.
Several months and a successful ‘pilgrimage’ later, Saracens and England star Itoje finally has some artwork to reflect his legacy as his first home takes shape.
Fast forward eight years and his personal mission to have his art represent his life has evolved into so much more.
Itoje and Khalil Akar’s first exhibition at their brand new Akoje Galleries opens at Spring Studios in Kentish Town on Wednesday. Entrance is free; In Itoje’s eyes, it is vital.
Every time I return to Nigeria I buy a few pieces and bring them to London.
Maro Itoje
“Art should be accessible to everyone,” said the 29-year-old Saracens, England and Lions Lock Standard Sport. “I grew up with a lot of art around me, but until 2015 it wasn’t that intense of an interest of mine. I was moving into my first apartment and wanted to decorate and design it.
“I was traveling around London looking for art for the walls and I’ve had a really hard time finding African art for the life of me. What I could find was way out of my price range!
“I asked my mother and she said, ‘don’t worry, when we get back to Nigeria we will go to the art market and we can bring some back.’ When we visited about nine months later, I was amazed by its colour, vibrancy, texture and richness. I felt a connection to art.
“I’m not very skilled with a brush in my hand, but I feel a really strong sense of appreciating art. Since then it has become almost a pilgrimage. “Every time I come back to Nigeria, I go back to the art market, go to galleries, buy a few pieces and bring them to London.”
Akoje Gallery’s first exhibition, The Beauty of a Garden Never Lies in a Single Flower, will launch in London, but future exhibitions will be staged around the world.
The gallery will also produce online offerings with Akar, the former director of the Signature African Art Gallery, who has now been working on projects with Itoje for several years.
Artists Ibiok Bright, Oluwole Omofemi, Nissi Ogulu, Sara Knights, Dotun Popoola, Olawunmi Banjo and Qozeem Abdulrahman will be present at the first opening of Akoje Gallery.
For much of the last decade, Itoje has been promoting African art and culture through his massive platform. The SOAS graduate believes attitudes are changing, but perhaps not much or widely enough.
“It was a little frustrating when I was looking for artwork and couldn’t find it,” he said. “But I think we have seen a change in social and cultural attitudes towards African art in the last 10 years; There is a stronger sense of appreciation in music, visual art, other creative fields and even the film industry.
“But I think African art is still not valued or valued in the same way as other geographical locations. We want to make a positive contribution to this field through our gallery. “There is so much talent and excellence that there is no reason why this cannot be seen in such a positive light.”
Even though Itoje’s schedule is relentless, the man always seems calm and composed.
Working non-stop on the rugby field, Itoje also leads change through the Pearl Fund by sponsoring the full education of children from Africa’s poorest regions, from kindergarten to university. Add to that his cultural aspirations, and Itoje’s calendar is jam-packed; but the focus remains clear.
“I want to make a positive impact on the people, themes and issues I care about,” Itoje said. “I think I’m always looking at what can be done in a positive way to respect the things I believe in and care about.
“Every person is multifaceted, and the more versatile I am, the more balanced I am as a person. I always keep my main issue the main issue. Of course I have interests outside of rugby, but I always make sure I’m in the best shape possible to play rugby; my mind, body and soul.”
Akar, Itoje’s co-founder, praised the British star’s full commitment to his artistic initiatives as well as using his platform for positive impact.
“What struck me when I first met Maro was how smart he was and that he could always defy the odds,” Akar said. “This is such a passion for him. Frankly, it has already done a lot of good and even just rugby brings great joy.
“For the artists here, I hope they have a chance to reach new heights that they couldn’t reach before.
“It’s great that Maro is willing to use his platform to engage in any way possible. It’s amazing how so many different worlds come together. I hope you can create something brand new with everything that is so different.