Miles from Home by Jonathan Ojekunle

Jonathan Ojekunle, born in Oyo State, Nigeria, is a New York-based interdisciplinary artist working across painting, sculpture, installation, and digital art. He received his BFA from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and completed his MFA with a concentration in sculpture at CUNY Brooklyn College in 2022. During his time as a participant in the 2022 Visual Artist Residency at Pioneer Works, Ojekunle was commissioned by Mallary Media to recreate Robert Mallary’s Quad II (1968) using modern technology, a project that was featured in the documentary Recreating Mallary (2023).

Jonathan’s work merges traditional African aesthetics with contemporary methods, exploring themes of migration, cultural identity, and the complexities of belonging. Inspired by his experiences as a Nigerian artist living between two worlds, his art reflects the challenges and intricacies of navigating different cultures. Through his interdisciplinary approach, Jonathan invites viewers to engage with issues of heritage, social transformation, and the evolving relationship between tradition and modernity.