As E Dey Hot

'As E Dey Hot' is a play on words, referencing the heat and intensity of charcoal, as well as a colloquial Nigerian phrase which loosely translates as "as it is happening" or "in the heat of the moment", suggesting immediacy or realness. At the start of 2024, I hit a wall. I struggled to stay motivated, and creating felt impossible. In my search for inspiration, I found charcoal—a material that mirrored how I felt: dark, burned out, but still capable of igniting. That spark led to 'As E Dey Hot' This series is about struggle, pain, transformation, and resilience. The fiery red lighting reflects the heat of life’s challenges—the kind that burns but shapes you. This work is deeply personal, reflecting my experience as a creative in Nigeria, where the journey often demands extraordinary resilience. This project became my way of fighting back, reigniting my passion. I’ve always explored themes of introspection and endurance, but this series feels rawer. Inspired by the works of artists like David Uzochukwu and Bill Viola, I wanted to tell a story about survival. The process was a feat of endurance in itself—standing on charcoal for hours, wrestling with power outages—but it all added to the story of resilience. With 'As E Dey Hot', I hope viewers see their own struggles reflected and feel the strength that comes from facing the fire.