PHOTO

born in 1955 in Ifé, Nigeria - died in 1989 in London, UK

Active from 1982 to 1989 in London

Rotimi Fani Kayode, from a family of Nigerian notable with religious and political powers, left Nigeria after the military coup d'état of 1966 for England. He then studied visual arts at Georgetown University, Washington DC, and the Pratt Institute in New York. Rotimi is then in contact with the African-American community that strong brands.

In 1982 he returned to England where he divides most of his life and his work with the photographer Alex Hirst (1951-1992).

[run the slideshow below]

He is one of the founders of Autograph (Association of Black British Photographers), working with Black Audio Film Collective, advocates for the fight against AIDS. Its difference, he displays it the claims in his life as much as by his photographs.

And although he admits the ambition to create images to undermine the vision set out in the world, what are the similarities between cultures and individuals that it highlights a growing presence of a strong Africa , a Nigeria that have never left with his series 'Ecstasy and Spirituality'.

An Africa that he would join if death did not stop had a December 21, 1989, after only seven years of creative activity.

 
by Jean Loup Pivin

Exhibitions

1984 group exhibition at Art Show Gallery, London
1985 solo exhibition at B&J Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria

1985 exhibit 'No Comment' at Brixton Art Gallery, London
1986 group exhibition at Oval House Gallery, London

1987 founding member and first chairperson of Autograph (The Association of Black Photographers)

1987 exhibit 'Misfits' at Oval House Gallery, London

1988 solo exhibition at 181 Gallery, London

1988 publication of 'Black Male-White Male, a book of Fani-Kayodé’s photographs'

1989 solo exhibition at Submarine Gallery, London

1989 Rotimi Fani-Kayodé’s performance in the film 'Twilight City', directed by John Akomfrah (Black Audio Film Collective)

1989 died in London on December 21 at age 34

1990 exhibit 'Rotimi Fani-Kayodé : A Retrospective' at 198 Gallery, London, with Michael Cadette and Sonia Boyce

1990 exhibit at Black Art Gallery, London,

1990 Fotofest, Houston, Texas

1990 exhibit 'Ecstatic Antibodies' at Battersea Arts Centre, London (travelling exhibition in the UK)
1991 retrospective exhibit at Black-Art Gallery, London

1991 publishing magazine Revue Noire RN03, Paris, with A Rotimi and Alex’s monograph

Publications Revue Noire