Àsàbí — “Embodiment of Culture” by Iyanuoluwa Babalola

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

Dimensions: 25 x 30 in

Year: 2026

Price: $800.00 USD

Status: available

Àsàbí is inspired by Yoruba cultural heritage and the enduring role of tradition in shaping identity. As part of my ongoing Oríkì Series, this work continues my exploration of names as vessels of memory, belonging, and lived experience. The title, Àsàbí, speaks to one who embodies culture—someone who carries history, values, and ancestral knowledge within their very being. In this piece, cultural identity is not presented as an external ornament but as an inseparable part of the self. The Abàjà tribal marks reference lineage and ancestral memory, while the banana earrings and fruit-bead adornments draw from Fiditi’s identity as the “Land of Fruits,” symbolizing nourishment, continuity, and connection to place. The textile-inspired patterns further reinforce the idea of culture as something woven into everyday life. I chose acrylic for its ability to build depth, texture, and layered symbolism. Through a contemporary Afro-symbolic portraiture approach, I merge realism with cultural motifs to create a visual language that honors both tradition and personal identity. Through Àsàbí, I invite viewers to reflect on the cultures that shape them and the histories they carry. In an increasingly globalized world, the work serves as a reminder that culture is not merely inherited—it is embodied, preserved, and continuously reimagined through those who live it.