Olalekan Jeyifous

**Olalekan Jeyifous** (dem born am 1977), alias Lek (dem dey pronounce am as "Lake"),  be Nigerian-born visual artist wey dey Brooklyn, New York. He currently be visiting lecturer for Cornell University, wer he sana get ein Bachelor of Architecture insyd 2000. As dem train am as architect, ein career primarily dey focus for public den commercial art top. Dem newly commission ein work for de *[[Black Reconstruction Collective|Reconstructions: Architecture den Blackness insyd America]]* exhibition for de Museum of Modern Art wey dey New York along plus Amanda Williams, Walter Hood, den Mario Gooden. De exhibition dey explore de relationship wey dey between architecture den de spaces of African American den African diaspora communities den ways wey dem go fi make histories visible den build equity.

## Ein Art career
Jeyifous ein work dey confront social issues through installations, large scale murals, large-scale public artwork den 3D computer models wey dey reflect ideas about Afrofuturism den architectural dystopias. Jeyifous get interest insyd urban issues den de changing role cities dey play for politics, art, pop culture, den de collective imagination insyd. For ein exhibition wey dem feature insyd de Museum of Modern Art's show, “Reconstructions: Architecture den Blackness insyd America,” Jeyifous dey explore dystopian realities wey dey root insyd de black diaspora den de disappearing urban ephemera den architecture of Brooklyn.

Insyd 2020, *De New York Times* name Jeyifous as one of five artists wey follow for Instagram top among fellow artists Kara Walker, Phyllis Galembo, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, Alex Webb den Rebecca Norris Webb.

### Crown Ether
Na Crown Ether be sam 50-foot-tall sculpture for de 2017 Coachella Valley Music den Art Festival insyd. Na Jeyifous be one of five artists dem choose for de exhibition. Ebe de relationship wey dey between de connection den separation wey inspire de elevated art piece. De artist separate de mythical sky-bound luxury high-rise from de less upscale but heritage-rich community below, as he dey connect de two communities through de benefits of safety den shade.

### "Protest!"
“Protest!” (2017) be sam 10-foot-tall public art piece weg dey consist of four large sculptures insyd Public Square wey dey downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Ebe de history of protest, peace rallies, den civic gatherings wey take place insyd Public Square wey dey inspire am, Jeyifous paint vivid orange den yellow steel silhouettes wey dey depict protesters wey dey shout for bullhorns insyd, handing out leaflets, den embracing. De piece dey represent protest as sam democratic right by say ego welcome visitors make dem sit anaa gather around de built-in seating platforms top at de metal base of each piece.

### De Boom den de Bust
De Boom den de Bust (2019) be sam 25-foot-tall sculpture wey dey resemble sam abstracted high-rise building plus sam cage-like structure insyd de center wey dey hold collection of small red houses. De piece dey reference de challenges of housing discrimination den urban inequality, past, den present.

### Wrought, Knit, Labors, Legacies
Wrought, Knit, Labors, Legacies (2020) be sam installation for Alexandria Virginia ein waterfront wey dey frame Alexandria ein African-American history through de lens of de city ein industrial den merchant history from de 17th go 20th centuries.

### Our Destiny, Our Democracy
Our Destiny, Our Democracy (2020) be sam collaborative piece plus artist Amanda Williams for de inaugural She Built NYC.  De piece dey commemorate Shirley Chisholm, de first black woman wey serve insyd Congress. De artist design de piece so say ego redefine de 21st-century monument, honor Shirley Chisholm ein legacy wey go bring menners togeda, den discuss de long arc of democracy. Dem go construct am insyd Brooklyn ein Prospect Park at de corner of Ocean den Parkside Avenues.

### Canyon Dreamscape
Canyon Dreamscape (2021) be sam large aluminum panel mural wey dem do plus de Los Angeles County Department of Arts den Culture den TFN Architectural Signage. Edey de Olive View Restorative Care Village top wey dey Olive View–UCLA Medical Center insyd Sylmar, Los Angeles. Ebe de landscape den vegetation wey dey surround Wilson Canyon dey inspire am wey edey base for de connection wey dey between nature den well-being top. Jeyifous use sam "playful den vibrant" color palette "wey eno be harsh den distracting" wey sublimate for ALTO Aluminum panels top.

## Ein Awards

* Dem select am plus Jennifer Bonner den Walter Hood as de 2021 Architecture & Design fellows for de United States Artists.
* Dem award Jeyifous de 2020-2021 J. Irwin den Xenia S. Miller Prize by Exhibit Columbus for ein contribution give de disciplines of design, art den architecture.

## References


## External links

* Vigilism