…Inaugural residency tasks artists’ ingenuity
For five years FREEE Recycle Limited, a recycling company, has made concerted efforts at solving the problem of waste tyres in Nigeria by converting them into reusable eco-friendly materials.
Consolidating on the efforts, the company rolled out colourful drums in celebration of its 5th anniversary recently, with a five- week intensive creativity, cultural immersion, and hands-on experimentation with tyre waste.
The engaging experimentation ushered in FREEE Recycle’s inaugural art residency programme, which brought together five emerging artists from tertiary institutions across the country to explore the intersection of environmental sustainability and artistic expression. The artists had a swell time at the residency, amid mentorship, field trips, and studio time at the FREEE facility in Ibadan.
Moreover, the residency offered them the opportunity to create pieces that challenged perceptions about waste, which were showcased in the residency’s exhibition, while honoring Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.
As well, three resident artists; Adenike Adeshina, Joseph Ajagbe, and Emmanuel Adesanya, were on hand to share their experiences from the residency, while reflecting on how working with discarded materials reshaped their artistic practice. They also discussed the technical challenges of transforming tyre rubber into art, the value of mentorship, cultural immersion, and how the experience will influence their future work as they continue to bridge sustainability with creative expression.
Sharing how she felt on seeing her piece on display and interacting with attendees of the exhibition, Adenike Adeshina, one of the resident artists, noted that it was an incredibly surreal and gratifying moment. “Seeing my work displayed at Access Bank headquarters, knowing it originated as discarded tyres and recycled materials, filled me with a deep sense of pride and gratitude,” she enthused, while commending the audience for being exceptional.
“They were genuinely engaged and passionate about sustainable arts,” she explained.
Adenike confessed that many attendees were visibly surprised by the transformation of the materials, particularly when they realized the pieces were created entirely from waste.
“Watching them move closer to examine the textures and ask detailed questions about the process reminded me of the power art has to shift perspectives”.
Another amazing part for her was when some attendees expressed surprise how an artist with her demeanor and personal style could work with such heavy industrial materials. “These moments highlighted the stereotypes we sometimes hold about artists who engage with unconventional mediums.
“I found great fulfillment in those exchanges because it showed that my narrative around cultural and environmental sustainability was genuinely resonating. The connection between artist and audience, that mutual understanding, is what gives exhibitions their lasting impact”.
Speaking on the biggest challenge she faced in transforming the materials into finished art, Adenike confessed that the physical demands of the materials were substantial as tyre rubber is exceptionally dense and resistant to manipulation.
The cutting, shaping, and molding processes, according to her, required significant physical strength, patience, and repeated experimentation. “There were moments when working with the material felt almost combative. Each piece demanded that I reconsider traditional artistic techniques and develop entirely new approaches. I had to learn when heat application was necessary, when force was appropriate, and when patience was the only viable strategy,” she said.
Despite the challenges, she found the process deeply rewarding as she has always been drawn to works that push boundaries and test her capabilities.
“Transforming materials that society dismisses as worthless into something culturally meaningful provided a unique creative drive that sustained me through the most difficult phases”.
But while the physical challenges were undeniable, Adenike insisted that the emotional and artistic rewards far outweighed them. “I was able to exceed my initial artistic vision. That is the transformative aspect of working with challenging materials. They compel you to surpass your own expectations,” she concluded.
For Joseph Ajagbe, another resident artist, the FREEE Residency represented the most significant five weeks of his year, exceeding every expectation he had going in with. What defined the experience most profoundly, according to Joseph, was the integration of intensive creative practice with deep cultural immersion.
“The organised visits to institutions like the Scrap Museum, the National Museums in both Ibadan and Lagos, and the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History fundamentally expanded my understanding of art, heritage, and environmental responsibility,” he said.
Also, witnessing how his ancestors created enduring cultural objects, and then returning to the FREEE facility to produce contemporary works from waste materials, according to Joseph, revealed a powerful connection between historical and modern creative practices.
But collaborating with four fellow residents enriched the experience considerably for him. “We challenged one another, exchanged techniques, and built a genuine creative community,” he confessed.
Moreover, having direct access to two highly accomplished artists as mentors was transformative for him.
He noted that the consistent availability of mentorship made an enormous difference by transcending technical instruction and enabled the resident artists to understand what it means to be artists whose work actively engages with the critical issues facing today’s world.
Also excited, Emmanuel Adesanya, another resident artist, who gained from the mentorship of established artists, especially Dotun Popoola and Prof. Ajiboye, shared the most valuable lesson he learned during the residency.
According to him, Dotun Popoola consistently encouraged the artists to pursue excellence in their work and to develop true mastery of their craft.
“His most important lesson was that working with waste materials doesn’t diminish the standard our work must meet,” he said.
“If anything, it demands more from us because we are challenging deeply held assumptions about what waste can become. Prof. Segun Ajiboye provided meticulous supervision and direction throughout our creative process, demonstrating unwavering commitment to each artist’s success.
“His approach turned every environment into a learning opportunity. Whether in the studio, during meals, or on field visits, he continuously shared insights about art history, cultural preservation, and the broader responsibilities artists carry toward their communities”.
But the lesson Emmanuel is carrying forward is fundamental: “Art extends beyond personal expression. It is about contributing to something larger than yourself.
“Whether addressing environmental sustainability, cultural preservation, or community development, our work as artists must have an impact beyond gallery spaces,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel’s artwork titled “Ori Olokun”, which honoured the Yoruba deity of the ocean, using recycled tyre materials, was a highlight.
The artist took his time to explain his approach in translating such powerful cultural symbolism into waste materials, saying that his intention with “Ori Olokun” was to merge traditional Yoruba cultural heritage with contemporary environmental concerns.
Olokun, according to Emmanuel, represents one of the most powerful deities in Yoruba spirituality, embodying life, death, rebirth, and resilience. “Creating a representation of such a significant deity using recycled tyre materials felt both artistically challenging and culturally necessary”.
For him, the museum visits during the residency provided crucial cultural context for the work.
“Encountering original Yoruba artefacts and understanding their cultural significance, then returning to work with recycled materials, helped me recognise an important parallel.
“Just as our ancestors created enduring works that preserved cultural memory, contemporary artists can fulfill the same function using the materials that define our current era. Even when those materials are discarded tyres.
“The experience reinforced that cultural preservation and environmental responsibility aren’t separate pursuits. They can be powerfully interconnected”.
Looking beyond the residency, which he confessed has fundamentally altered his artistic trajectory, Emmanuel said that he is committed to permanently integrating sustainable practices into his creative process and it extends beyond environmental consciousness.
“I intend to continue experimenting with mixed media, specifically work that bridges art, culture, and environmental concerns. The residency taught me these elements achieve their greatest impact when thoughtfully integrated rather than treated as separate domains. My future work will reflect this integrated understanding,” while noting that what motivates him the most is the potential to influence other artists, particularly young Nigerian creatives, to reconsider waste materials.
“If “Ori Olokun” prompts even one person to think differently about what they discard, or to recognize the relationship between cultural heritage and environmental sustainability, the residency will have succeeded beyond the artwork itself.
“This experience provided more than technical skills and materials. It gave me a clear artistic mission. Moving forward, my work will intentionally contribute to both Nigeria’s cultural preservation and environmental sustainability efforts”.
Of course, he expressed deep gratitude to both mentors for their belief in his potential, while also thanking FREEE Recycle Limited for creating the opportunity.
“This residency didn’t simply teach me new material applications. It clarified the type of artist I aspire to become,” he concluded.
