Kanbi Contemporary in collaboration with artist Ayoola Gbolahan presents: What is drawing?

During the Renaissance the term 'disegno' implied drawing both as a technique to be distinguished from colouring and also as the creative idea made visible in the preliminary sketch. Not until the late 14th century, however, did drawing come into its own—no longer necessarily subordinate, conceptually or materially, to another art form. Featured in this exclusive online exhibition is a selection of works between 1997 and 2020 by Ayoola exploring drawing as a stand-alone venerable art form in its own right.

The selection of works are organised thematically, curated as a journey of discovery which the act of drawing is, from the tangible to the intangible in relation to the different categories of still life, figuration and abstraction. Consistent in these works is the immediacy of expression - an undiluted and spontaneous expression of Ayoola’s draughtsmanship through the flow of line, providing a glimpse into his creative mind and offering an intimate dialogue with the viewer.

In his own words Ayoola states, “drawing can or must be that one line that connects two points, it is what’s pure and simple, it is a fusion of dots and lines; some sort of discussion, a relationship, interactions and definitions.” Better known for his works on canvas, these drawings spanning over two decades is a presentation of the metamorphosis of Ayoola in the most personal yet complex and often overlooked of all artistic form.