Irin ajo - Journey and thanks

Pictured artwork ‘Waiting for the Bus’ by the Junk Man of Lagos – one of the selected artists showing in Dak’Art

As I reflect on this momentous occasion just before I travel, and short of a chance to run to the podium and thank everyone that I ever met I thank as follows.

I thank my daughter Esther she is my mum, she is the light of my life. I thank my good friend and mentor Mary Evans. I thank the Arts Council for this award and proving me with my Creative Advisors for this project Zoe Shearman and Raimi Gbadamosi.

I thank Zoe for her hard work, support and advice in helping me achieve this award and Raimi for suggesting a preparatory reading list including, Leopold Sedar Senghor father of Negritude and for taking Aime Cesaire’s notebook off the shelf for me at the Kerry James Marshell exhibition earlier this year. I look forward to their ongoing support. Thanks Debbie Thomas, Arts and Development BCC for helping me achieve this award. I thank all those have met and worked with during my nine years in Bristol they have contributed to an invaluable backdrop to my future as an artist. I thank Folake for the the Calling project a truly inspirational opportunity. I thank everyone I know, good friends and supporters, past and present they have helped shape my life.

The show of 87 Contemporary African artists draw work and artists from all of the African continent and from the diaspora some of the artists where showing in the 'Africa Remix' exhibition at the Hayward gallery which I saw last year. I have seen selected artists on www.dakart.org a very helpful site for my plans. I have started my research into the list of artists and am ready to roll. I fly on 4th May.oooh