YUSSEF AGBO-OLA
Sculpting the Unseen World

Born in rural Virginia to Nigerian, African-American, and Cherokee heritage, Yussef Agbo-Ola weaves his multicultural identity into a body of work that spans continents, from London to Ibadan and the Amazon. His practice, rooted in both architecture and art, reflects a profound meditation on hybrid identities, landscapes, and the unseen forces that shape our world.

At the heart of Agbo-Ola's work is a deep engagement with the Yoruba belief that all matter possesses a living spirit. His exhibition 7 RIVERS IN BONE ASH constructs a sacred space that holds vessels for these unseen environmental entities, inviting viewers to reflect on the imperceptible dimensions of nature.

From totemic carvings made of Amazonian Angelique wood, representing the spirits that dwell in stones, trees, and flowers, to hand-knitted textile pieces echoing the skins of endangered species, each work is a poetic tribute to the fragile and the forgotten, now crystallized and remembered.

In an exclusive video interview in the backdrop of his exhibition at KÖNIG TELEGRAPHENAMT, Agbo-Ola delves into the philosophical and spiritual inquiries that underpin his creative process. He speaks of his fascination with the invisible, the microscopic, and the ancestral – elements often overlooked but integral to the ecosystems that sustain life.