Adenrele Sonariwo Explained

Adenrele Sonariwo
Birth Place:Washington DC
Nationality:Nigerian
Alma Mater:Howard University, Academy of Art University, University of the Arts London
Occupation:Curator, Entrepreneur
Father:Oba Michael Sonariwo

Adenrele Sonariwo is a Nigerian entrepreneur and art curator. She is the founder of the Rele Art Gallery on Military Street, Onikan, Lagos Island, Lagos, Nigeria as well as the Rele Art Gallery on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Rele Gallery is the first African contemporary art gallery to establish an outpost in Los Angeles. Sonariwo was the lead curator of the first Nigerian pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017. Alongside the Rele Art Gallery, Sonariwo is also the founding director of the Rele Arts Foundation. The foundation's projects include the annual young Contemporaries programme, which offers grants, mentorship, residences and training to a small group of emerging artists, an opportunity that results in an exhibition hosted at the gallery.[1]

Education

Sonariwo got her first degree in accounting at Howard University in 2007,[2] then went on to work at PricewaterhouseCoopers as an accountant for four years.[3] [4] She has an MA Multimedia Communications from the Academy of Art University and a certificate in Curating Contemporary Art Exhibitions from the University of the Arts London.[4]

Rele Gallery

On return to Nigeria, she founded Rele Art Gallery in 2010, though it didn't kick off as a physical space until February, 2015.[4] In 2011, while the idea of the gallery had started taking root, she attempted to start an arts university in Nigeria which she called The Modern Day School of the Arts.[5] [3] It was "a pop up art school for art lovers who may be stuck in a different career."[6]

57th Venice Biennale

In 2017, Sonariwo became the lead curator of the first Nigerian pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale.[7] [8] She was joined by writer and art critic Emmanuel Iduma as associate curator. The edition was themed Viva Arte Viva[9] [6] and the Nigerian pavilion featured the work of Victor Ehikhamenor, Peju Alatise, and Qudus Onikeku.[10] [11] [12]

Awards and other Honours

Sonariwo won The Future Awards for Arts and Culture in 2016.[13] She has also been on the Power List of influencers in culture in 2016 [14] and 2017.[15] In March 2017, she was listed as one of the 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria.[16] She has spoken at TEDx events,[17] and been a member of the jury at Dak'art Biennale which took place in 2018.[18] She has also graced the cover of Guardian Life magazine in Nigeria.[19]

In 2018, Vogue listed her as one of the "Five Coolest Women in Lagos".[20] Since 2019, Sonariwo has been a consultant on culture ad tourism to the Governor of Ogun State.[1]

Personal life

Sonariwo is the daughter of the 18th Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Michael Sonariwo, who died in 2016 at 80 years.[21]

Notable interviews

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Apollo Magazine . Adenrele Sonariwo - Apollo 40 Under 40 . apollo-magazine.com . Apollo Magazine . 20 May 2021.
  2. Web site: New York Times . From Lagos to Los Angeles, an African Art Gallery Arrives . nytimes.com . New York Times . 20 May 2021.
  3. News: I Am Creative With Adenrele Sonariwo. 2017-11-25. en-US.
  4. Web site: From Accountant to Art Curator! Rele Art Gallery's Adenrele Sonariwo is our #BellaNaijaWCW this Week - BellaNaija. www.bellanaija.com. en-US. 2017-11-25.
  5. News: Why Adenrele Sonariwo Quit Her Auditing Job To Launch An Art Gallery. Nescafé. 2017-04-11. Konbini Nigeria. 2017-11-25. en-US. 2019-07-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190701145413/http://www.konbini.com/ng/inspiration/why-adenrele-sonariwo-quit-her-auditing-job-to-launch-an-art-gallery/. dead.
  6. News: Adenrele Sonariwo; The Art Lover and Brain behind The Rele Gallery. 2017-09-08. Konnect Africa. 2017-11-25. en-US.
  7. Web site: The Venice Questionnaire #22 – Adenrele Sonariwo / ArtReview. artreview.com. en. 2017-11-25.
  8. News: 56 editions after, Nigeria debuts at Venice Biennale - Premium Times Nigeria. 2017-03-28. Premium Times Nigeria. 2017-11-25. en-GB.
  9. News: 57th International Art Exhibition - Viva Arte Viva. 2017-03-09. La Biennale di Venezia. 2017-11-25. en.
  10. Web site: See the Highlights from Nigeria's Debut at the Most Important Art Exhibition in the World - La Biennale di Venezia - BellaNaija. www.bellanaija.com. en-US. 2017-11-25.
  11. News: Nigeria unveils first national pavilion at Venice art exhibition. 2017-11-25. en-US.
  12. News: Meet The Nigerian Artists Set To Make History At The Venice Biennale. Orubo. Daniel. 2017-03-24. Konbini Nigeria. 2017-11-25. en-US. 2019-07-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190701145412/http://www.konbini.com/ng/inspiration/meet-the-nigerian-artists-set-to-make-history-at-the-venice-arte-biennale/. dead.
  13. News: See the inspiring profiles of the winners of The Future Awards Africa 2016 - The Future Awards Africa. 2016-12-18. The Future Awards Africa. 2018-07-16. en-GB.
  14. News: LAOLU SEBANJO, DAMILOLA ELEBE, ADENRELE SONARIWO… SEE THE #YNAIJAPOWERLIST FOR CULTURE. YManager. August 5, 2016. YNaija.
  15. Web site: Bovi, Wana Udobang, Osa Seven… See the #YNaijaPowerList2017 for Culture » YNaija. ynaija.com. en-GB. 2018-07-16.
  16. News: AMINA MOHAMMED, MO ABUDU, SOMKELE IDHALAMA & MORE! YNAIJA.COM AND LEADING LADIES AFRICA PRESENT THE 100 MOST INSPIRING WOMEN IN NIGERIA. March 8, 2017. YNaija.
  17. News: Tedx: Ibara Set To Hold The First Tedx In Abeokuta City - The Bees NG. 2018-04-16. The Bees NG. 2018-07-16. en-US. 2019-07-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190701150922/http://thebeesng.com/tedx-ibara-set-to-hold-the-first-tedx-in-abeokuta-city/. dead.
  18. Web site: Dak'art 2018 – Biennale de Dakar Edition 2018. biennaledakar.org. fr-FR. 2018-07-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20180716224109/http://biennaledakar.org/dakart-2018/. 2018-07-16. dead.
  19. News: Nigeria: Adenrele Sonariwo Covers Guardian Life Magazine. 2018-01-29. News of Africa - Online Entertainment - Gossip - Celebrity Newspaper - Breaking News. 2018-07-16. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20180716224152/https://newsofafrica.org/229780.html. 2018-07-16. dead.
  20. News: Meet the 5 Coolest Women in Lagos. Vogue. 2018-07-30. en.
  21. News: Ogun monarch, Oba Sonariwo, dies at 80 in UK. Punch Newspapers. 2018-07-30. en-US.
  22. News: An Interview with Adenrele Sonariwo - The Spark. 2018-03-09. The Spark. 2018-07-16. en-US. 2019-07-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190701150922/http://www.thesparkng.com/interview-adenrele-sonariwo/. dead.
  23. News: Adenrele Sonariwo: Giving The Arts A Voice. 2018-07-16. en-US.

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