Taiye Ojo

My latest series (WIP) focuses on food-related practices, questioning innovative ways to cherish traditional recipes while exploring conviviality and commensality. Food binds us socially and fosters a sense of belonging and identity. I intend to spend my time at the Saari Residence immersing myself more deeply in these themes. My goal is to explore the kitchen stories and familial traditions tied to indigenous foods in the Niger Delta. I aim to investigate the challenges faced by these communities in sustaining their culinary traditions for future generations. I am especially interested in how food is consumed during times of joy, conflict, or despair. The culmination of this work will be a poetic monograph and art installation that documents these culinary narratives, blending personal stories with collective histories. This book will serve as a resource for understanding the socio-political dimensions of food in the Niger Delta, offering insights into how culinary practices reflect broader themes of modernity, capitalism, ecology and food. 

Ojo Taiye is a Nigerian eco-artivist, storyteller and creative researcher whose multidisciplinary practice spans text-based media, installation, sound, film, and performance. Collaborating with others, he draws from personal experiences and interpretations of climate change, homelessness, migration, and intersecting issues like racism, black identity, and mental health. Taiye believes in the potency of language to capture the minutiae of daily life and the natural world. He is a recipient of prestigious awards, including the 2023 Ars Electronica State of the Art(ist) Award, the 2023 West African Writers (WAW) Residency, LOATAD, and the G.A.S. Fellowship Award. His current project focuses on raising awareness of ecological degradation in the Niger Delta, emphasizing what can be done to prevent, reduce, or halt it, and to restore and manage at-risk ecosystems. Taiye is particularly interested in fostering discussions around climate futures, environmental degradation, sustainability, and exploring actionable solutions within his community and beyond.