By Abiodun Jimoh
From a childhood fascination with crayons to a decades-long career in painting, research and art education, Nigerian artist Dr. Aladegbongbe Aderinsoye Ademorin is set to unveil a new body of works at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos.
Titled Voice in Pigment, the exhibition will run from October 17 to 23, 2026, opening at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 17. It will be open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on subsequent days.
For Aladegbongbe, colour is not simply an aesthetic element but a language capable of expressing culture, spirituality, emotion and human experience. His new works explore this idea through rich ochres, golds, earthy reds and violet tones, combined with expressive brushstrokes and layered textures.
The artist traces his passion for art to his childhood in the village, where his grandmother gave him crayons to colour with. That simple gift, he recalls, sparked his interest in drawing and painting and eventually developed into a lifelong artistic journey.
His formal training began at the Yaba Art School. He later obtained a Higher National Diploma in Painting from Yaba College of Technology, followed by a Master of Fine Art and a PhD in Painting from the University of Benin.
Now a Chief Lecturer in the Department of Fine Art at Yaba College of Technology, where he has worked since 1996, Aladegbongbe has combined teaching with an active studio practice spanning painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, metal construction and design.
His work is also deeply connected to his Christian faith. The artist has spoken about his belief that God has called him to become a pastor, a calling that has informed his reflections on spirituality and human experience.
Voice in Pigment follows his earlier exhibitions, including Ìkórè (Harvest) at the National Museum in 2024 and In Time in 2025.
With the new exhibition, Aladegbongbe invites viewers to experience colour as more than something to look at, but as a voice capable of telling stories where words may not be enough.
