Sculpture in a sense is not as easy as it looks. Like every other art form, it takes time and dedication to thought- fully create ideas, piece together the necessary materials until they become living inanimate objects. One that car- ries the weight of your desires. The attempts to capture life is one thing that makes sculptural pieces so unique and we have seen works of astounding artists who

go out of their way to transform their materials into expressive and tangible forms, exploring the interplay
of volume, space, texture, and composition. Like several other sculptors, Nigerian artist Ugochukwu Ahiakwo, employs abstraction, a technique so unique to him to create representational works that express his artistic idea.

In a haze to convey personal stories about himself, Ahiakwo entrusted abstraction, and its simplicity hold- ing closely the ideology that everything has a voice. In his artistic practice, he merges his knowledge of art and design with his environment and objects. His works are neither limited by any medium nor inspiration, but they share common qualities: edginess, dynamism, tactility and a high level of refinement. He fuses his combined knowledge of art and design with his curiosities about the world at large and a yearning to create a much better future. Ugo’s artistic process involves listening to and negotiating with materials that he finds himself drawn to.

In his recent body of work “SINK OR SWIM” he refers to a situation in which one must either succeed by his or her own efforts or fail completely. He sees his adult life in a situation that feels like it’s either sinking or swimming.

“Sink or Swim represents the culmination of my growth as an artist and as an individual. Since my return to Lagos, Nigeria in 2019, understanding the constraints of the environment as well as its vast resources have caused a shift in my practice from creating art as a solo endeavour to creating alongside local artisans,” he says in his statement.

“The Sink or Swim body of work is also a conclusion to my “Industrial carcass” and “Fish Out of Water” post minimal sculpture series from 2020 and 2021 respectively. With Industrial carcass, I was navigating feelings of loss, abandonment issues and solitude. While with Fish Out of Water, I delved further into those themes but allowed them to be tinged by a glimmer of hope.

I departed further from linear shapes and dove headfirst into abstract shapes. I also explored colour for the first time in a long while. With Sink or Swim, it is a much more optimistic outlook. I am now more comfortable with merging colours, textures and forms and also playing with larger scales. At the same time, I am also thinking about the political and economic woes of the country - dwindling exchange rates, fuel scarcity, the uncertainties that come with the upcoming elections, security issues and many more.

It is a tale of persistence; a refusal to abandon my lofty ideals regardless.”