Art is a powerful tool of expression. The hopes we have in the past can shape our futures. The ability to create something new or better depends on our ability to imagine it. These ideas and the prompt of what it means to dream while Black are at the core of Union Station’s art exhibit, Black Dreams and Aspirations, sponsored by TD, co-curated in partnership with MakeRoom Inc.
We were delighted to speak with Adetona Omokanye, one of the artists for the exhibit, about what Black Dreams and Aspirations means to him. His featured artwork, entitled Gèlè, is an ode to Yoruba women’s agency and adventures, both as individuals and as a collective. It is a visual performance of identity, and a call to embrace one’s roots with pride.
What was the inspiration behind your art showcased in the Black Dreams and Aspirations exhibit?
The inspiration stems from curiosity – I was asking questions such as “What is the essence of fashion?” “What are the origins?” “Where did it come from?”. Asking these questions allowed me to understand some meanings behind African culture. The gèlè isn’t just a way of fashion, it’s a way of communicating; for example, it shows your marital status and who you are in society.
My artwork allows me to remind people, and teach them for the first time, what the gèlè – and African style in general – means. This reminds me of one of my favourite quotes by Aristotle; “the aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance”. That resonates which what I’m trying to achieve with my artwork series.
What message or emotion do you hope viewers take away from experiencing your artwork?
I want this project to educate people in African diaspora. Toronto is a multicultural city, where many people have seen gèlè, but they don’t know what it means. I can use artwork as a medium to educate the onlooker. And I’ve been seeing results! People will contact me saying they’ve seen my art in Union Station and share what they learned. That gives me joy.
What inspired you to become an artist and how does your identity influence your work?
I fell in love with taking pictures. I believe that one of the strongest ways to hold on to memories is to archive them in pictures. This inspired my dream of becoming an artist. I was also inspired by people around me, such as my dad who was a photographer, and a friend who owned a camera that I frequently borrowed.
Do you think that art has the power to inspire change in society?
Art has played a large role in society development. I believe that lots of things we know now, we only know because it was stored in art form. Whether this was in writing, or a picture to capture a moment in time for future people to understand what that moment looks like. As time passes by, art reminds you as the past, and can reveal the future.
Thank you, Adetona, for taking the time to speak with us about your artwork showcased in the Black Dreams and Aspirations exhibit. You can find Adetona’s art in the West Wing of Union Station from now until August. Stop by today to experience it yourself.
Click here for more information about Union’s Black History Month exhibit.
