Stephen Tayo documents the devotees of the Yoruba community’s Pentecostal Christian Aladura movement
“What comes to mind when you see the garment?” asks Stephen Tayo in his latest work. Shot entirely in black and white – a departure for the Nigerian imagemaker whose photographic practice is known for its use of bold hues – this series focusses on the devotees of the Yoruba community’s Pentecostal Christian Aladura movement. And what strikes you in each candid image is the instantly recognisable flowing white robes that the women and children wear. Tayo’s background is, after all, in fashion, but here he uses dress as a way to ask the viewer to go a little deeper. Called a sutana, aso-funfun or simply ‘the garment’, it beautifully signals a belief system based on divine healing and Yoruba creation stories. As the series goes on view as part of FF Projects’ year-long residency programme at Alára Lagos, Tayo speaks to NATAAL about what his solo exhibition means to him.
“This body of work is observational, it invites people to look closely, and to keep looking again and again. At its heart, it’s about openness and curiosity"
“For me it’s about documenting my observations in real time and building upon endless curiosities"
“At its core, it’s an ongoing attempt to investigate my own epistemological stance on the world"
“There are many ways of presenting work that this show allows. I’m truly happy to continue creating, opening up new perspectives, exploring different ways of seeing and thinking, relearning, and discovering fresh approaches that push conversations forward"
“Working with FF Projects has been great. It’s been really rewarding working with a curator [Faridah Folawiyo] who wants to reflect on and engage with the artist’s work. To me, this should be the heart of what it means to create platforms for artists"